Bupivacaine free plasma levels in children after caudal anaesthesia: influence of pretreatment with diazepam?

ABSTRACT

Diazepam-induced modifications in bupivacaine distribution have been noted in previously reported data investigating the influence of diazepam on bupivacaine plasma levels in children undergoing surgery under caudal block with a mixture of lignocaine and bupivacaine. Possible diazepam-induced changes in protein binding were therefore examined in this study. Our data did not demonstrate significant modifications in bupivacaine protein binding when diazepam is used concomitantly.