Levobupivacaine: a review of its use in regional anaesthesia and pain management

Drugs. 2010 Apr 16;70(6):761-91. doi: 10.2165/11203250-000000000-00000.

Abstract

Levobupivacaine (Chirocaine) is a long-acting amide local anaesthetic that is effective when administered as an epidural, spinal, peripheral nerve or ocular block, or by topical application or local infiltration. In comparative trials, its clinical effects were not generally significantly different from those of bupivacaine or ropivacaine, although there was some variability in efficacy findings in different clinical populations. Levobupivacaine was generally well tolerated. Levobupivacaine provides effective anaesthesia and analgesia for a wide range of clinical populations and is a useful alternative to bupivacaine.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anesthesia, Conduction / methods*
  • Anesthetics, Local / pharmacology
  • Anesthetics, Local / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Bupivacaine / analogs & derivatives
  • Bupivacaine / pharmacology
  • Bupivacaine / therapeutic use
  • Clinical Trials as Topic / methods
  • Disease Management
  • Humans
  • Levobupivacaine
  • Pain / drug therapy*
  • Pain / metabolism
  • Pain Measurement / drug effects
  • Pain Measurement / methods
  • Postoperative Pain / metabolism
  • Postoperative Pain / prevention & control

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Local
  • Levobupivacaine
  • Bupivacaine