Compagna et al.

BMC Surgery 2012, 12(Suppl 1):S12

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2482/12/S1/S12

RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access

Comparative study between Levobupivacaine

and Bupivacaine for hernia surgery in the elderly
Rita Compagna4*, Gabriele Vigliotti4, Guido Coretti4, Maurizio Amato4, Giovanni Aprea4, Alessandro Puzziello1,
Carmelo Militello2, Fabrizio Iacono3, Domenico Prezioso3, Bruno Amato4
From XXV National Congress of the Italian Society of Geriatric Surgery
Padova, Italy. 10-11 May 2012

Abstract
Background: The inguinal hernia is one of the most common diseases in the elderly. Treatment of this type of
pathology is exclusively surgical and relies almost always on the use of local anesthesia. While in the past hernia
surgery was carried out mainly by general anesthesia, in recent years there has been growing emphasis on the
role of local anesthesia.
Methods: The aim of our study was to compare intra-and postoperative analgesia obtained by the use of
levobupivacaine compared with that of bupivacaine. Bupivacaine is one of the main local anesthetics used in the
intervention of inguinal hernioplasty. Levobupivacaine is an enantiomer of racemic bupivacaine with less
cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity. The study was conducted from April 2010 to May 2012. We collected data of forty
male patients, aged between 73 and 85 years, who underwent inguinal hernioplasty with local anesthesia for the
first time.
Results: Minimal pain is the same in both groups. Mild pain was more frequent in the group who used
bupivacaine, moderate pain was slightly more frequent in the group who used levobupivacaine, and the same for
intense pain. It is therefore evident how Bupivacaine is slightly less preferred after four and twenty four hours,
while the two drugs seem to have the same effect at a distance of twelve and forty-eight hours. Bupivacaine
shows a significantly higher number of complications, as already demonstrated by previous studies. The request for
an analgesic was slightly higher in patients receiving levobupivacaine.
Conclusions: After considering all these elements, we can conclude that the clinical efficacy of levobupivacaine
and racemic bupivacaine are essentially similar, when used under local intervention of inguinal hernioplasty.

Background growing emphasis on the role of local anesthesia. This

The inguinal hernia is one of the most common diseases type of anesthesia has significantly improved the treat-
in the elderly. The Italian National Health System is ment of inguinal hernia, significantly reducing recur-
geared to recognize the role of local anesthesia for the rences, complications, recovery time and return to
surgical treatment of inguinal hernia. Treatment of this normal working activities.
type of pathology is exclusively surgical and relies Hernia surgery should be approached according to a
almost always on the contribution of local anesthesia. technique as simple and safe as possible that is at the
While in the past, hernia surgery was carried out mainly same time accepted by the patient and easily realizable by
by general anesthesia, in recent years there has been the surgeon [1]. Inguinal hernioplasty is now the most
performed surgery in the departments of general surgery
* Correspondence: [email protected] [2]. For this reason it is necessary to find solutions which
4
Department of General, Geriatric, Oncologic Surgery and advanced can be adapted to each individual case, combining
technologies, University “Federico II” of Naples, Via Pansini 5 - 80131 - experience and innovation. Surgery can be customized
Naples, Italy
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article according to physique, age, comorbidity, lifestyle and size

© 2012 Compagna et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Compagna et al. BMC Surgery 2012, 12(Suppl 1):S12 Page 2 of 7
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of the hernia. We are talking more and more about and we made interesting observations, for a condition
Tailored Surgery, the so-called personalized surgery, indi- which, we are sure, will be increasingly common in the
vidualized, built on the needs and characteristics of the coming years due to progressive aging of the Italian popu-
patient [3]. The concept of Tailored Surgery encompasses lation. We collected data of forty male patients, aged
not only technical-surgical and prosthetic choices but between 65 and 85 years, who underwent inguinal hernio-
also anesthetic (assisted local, spinal or loco-regional, plasty under local anesthesia for the first time. In Table 1
general). According to recent guidelines of the European we reported the main characteristics of patients. Patients
Hernia Society, published in “Hernia” in 2009, the repair were divided into two groups using a double-blind rando-
of a hernia in primary election can always take advantage mized system. The first group (A) received Levobupiva-
of local anesthesia. This is a grade A recommendation, caine (n = 20), the second (B) received bupivacaine (n =
with high scientific impact [4]. The simultaneous use of 20). During surgery, the patients were continuously moni-
local anesthetic drugs with a long duration of action, but tored with ECG intraoperative and pulse oximeter. In the
very powerful such as Levobupivacaine (Chirocaine), in first group A twelve patients were treated for direct hernia
addition to drugs equally potent, but duration of immedi- and eight patients for indirect hernia. In the second group
ate action, such as Mepivacaine (Carbocaine), allow B eleven patients were treated for direct hernia and nine
optimization of anesthesia / analgesia both intra-and patients for indirect hernia. In Levobupivacaine group, the
post-operatively. Finally, do not forget that we are talking mean operative time was 43 minutes. While in the bupiva-
about local assisted anesthesia and therefore the contri- caine group the mean operative time was 40 minutes
bution of the anesthetist, and the overall effectiveness of exactly. In group A average time anesthesiological was
the anesthesia, are essential to ensure the maximum sixty minutes. In group B the time was fifty minutes for
comfort to the patient intraoperatively [5]. Why does the bupivacaine. The amount of fentanyl used was respectively
surgeon have to practice this kind of anesthesia? Because 115 mcg in the first group of interventions and 119 mcg
this type of anesthesia consists of several phases: the first, in the second group. The location of the operation in the
percutaneous, may be made without distinction by the levobupivacaine group, the ratio right / left was twelve to
surgeon or anesthesiologist, while the last phase, inci- eight; in the bupivacaine group this ratio was fifteen to
sional, is exclusively of surgical pertinence, as it is the five. Finally we reported the ASA scale: ten patients of the
task of the surgeon to identify the points of landmarks, first group were classified in stage I and ten patients in
locate and infiltrate properly. Local Assisted Anesthesia stage II. In the second group eight patients were classified
by truncal block / incisional has several advantages: in stage I and twelve patients in stage II. No patients in
safety, even in patients at risk; effectiveness, commitment stage III. The anesthetic block was made employing the
to anesthetic proportionate intervention, minimally inva- following protocol: the first phase, percutaneous, allowed
sive anesthetic technique, simple and reproducible. us to obtain a block on the troncular selective ilioinguinal
Currently local assisted anesthesia is the procedure of
choice in primary unilateral inguinal hernias treated in
election. There are no absolute contraindications to the Table 1 Patients characteristics
anesthetic block. If anything, there are relative contrain- Parameters Levobupivacaine Bupivacaine P value
dications: poor patient, especially at a young age, morbid Age 75(85-65) 75(87-73) 0,82 (*)
obesity, bilateral hernioplasty, bulky inguinal hernias [6]. Sex(M/F) 20/0 20/0
The aim of this study was to compare two local anes- Weight(kg) 72 76 0,34 (+)
thetics, levobupivacaine and bupivacaine, commonly Direct hernias 12 11 0,51 (+)
used in the surgical treatment of inguinal hernia. Indirect hernias 8 9
ASA status 0,65 (+)
Methods 1 10(50%) 8(40%)
From April 2010 to May 2012 we studied forty patients 2 10(50%) 12(60%)
recovered in the department of General Surgery, Univer- 3 0(0) 0(0)
sity of Naples “Federico II”, affected by inguinal hernia for Fentanyl used (mcg) 115 +/- 25 119 +/- 33 0,33 (*)
the first time and treated in this period of time. The Site 0,52 (+)
patients were divided into two groups, corresponding to Right 12(60%) 15(75%)
the two drugs that we have studied. We interviewed Left 8(40%) 5(25%)
patients at the end of the operation using the VAS Scale. Operating time (min) 43(53-33) 40(53-27) 0,24 (*)
During the interview, we have focused on some aspects: Anaesthesia time (min) 60(55-65) 50(45-55) 0,28 (*)
the intra-operative pain, post-operative pain, need for Test Used
analgesia in the postoperative period and the overall satis- (+) Chi square
faction with anesthesia. We compared the results obtained (*) ANOVA
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and iliohypogastric nerves through a puncture performed Table 2 Intra-operative Pain

two cm medial to the anterior superior iliac spine, lateral Type of pain Levobupivacaine Bupivacaine P value
to the rectus muscle of abdomen. For this purpose we Minimal 2 2 0,28
used 7-8 cc of Levobupivacaine (or Bupivacaine) at 7.5%. Mild 11 13
The second phase, percutaneous, blocked the genital Moderate 6 5
branch of the genitofemoral nerve, through a puncture Intense 1 0
performed below the inguinal ligament, lateral to the
pubic tubercle. We used 2-3 cc of levobupivacaine (or
Bupivacaine) at 7.5%, a very powerful local anesthetic was and during a short walk. In Table 3 we reported the results
used with a long duration of action, to ensure good of post-operative pain. In the levobupivacaine group two
analgesia both intra-and post-operatively. The third phase, patients experienced pain in the supine position, three
percutaneous, was completed by infiltration of the surgical seated and two standing. In the Bupivacaine group, two
incision using a 22 gauge spinal needle employing 10 or patients identified pain in the supine position, three seated
15 cc of Mepivacaine hydrochloride at 2%. The anesthetic and three standing. Then we collected the impressions of
block was completed in the incisional phase by means of patients even after several hours from surgery. Four hours
an open air infiltration, performed for each anatomical after the operation, three patients in the first group identi-
floor in the course of surgery, using the Mepivacaine fied pain and two patients in the second group identified
hydrochloride at 2%. The points requiring infiltration were pain. Twelve hours after surgery, two patients in the first
four: the end of the external oblique muscle (8, 10 cc), the group and two in the second identified pain. Twenty-four
pubic tubercle (2 cc), the medial and lateral pillar external hours after surgery, two patients in the first group and one
inguinal orifice (2, 3 cc), the orifice internal inguinal (2 3 in the second identified pain. Forty-eight hours after sur-
cc) ; other locations in case of need or in large hernias can gery, a patient in the first group and one patient in the
be: funiculus in the sub-cremasterica; genitofemoral nerve second group identified pain. In the postoperative period
in the sub-cremasterica and the hernial sac. With regard patients received paracetamol as an analgesic drug up to
to the surgical techniques, in patients with direct inguinal three times a day, depending on the need. In Table 4 we
hernia we realized the inguinal Lichtenstein hernioplasty. evaluated two important elements: complications and
In patients with indirect inguinal hernia instead we used overall satisfaction with the intervention. With regard to
Rutkow and Robbins hernioplasty. Immediately after the complications in the group of Levobupivacaine, four
operation, patients were interviewed to determine the patients experienced nausea / vomiting, one itching, and
extent of intra-and post-operative pain and the degree of no one infection. Instead in the bupivacaine group, five
satisfaction with surgery performed under local anesthesia. patients experienced nausea / vomiting, one itching and
We used the VAS scale. The VAS scale is a straight line one infection. The overall satisfaction was assessed using a
with two ends corresponding to “no pain” and the worst scale of three levels. In group A of levobupivacaine, thir-
possible pain (or the maximum that he experienced). It is teen patients said they were fully satisfied, six moderately
a one-dimensional tool that quantifies what patients sub- satisfied and only one just satisfied. In the second group,
jectively perceive as pain or as a relief in all their physical, thirteen patients were fully satisfied and seven were mod-
psychological and spiritual variables without distinguishing erately satisfied while no one said he was just satisfied. In
which of these components plays a greater role. This scale Table 5 we collected the data on the need of analgesic in
presents many important characteristics: it has the advan- the immediate post-operative phase. The patients of the
tage of being simple, is easily understood by most patients, first group who required paracetamol were 14. Instead, we
can easily be repeated and is particularly useful for moni- administered paracetamol in twelve patients of the second
toring the acute course. group. In the levobupivacaine group the average time to

Results Table 3 Post-operative Pain

In Table 2 we show data related to the intra-operative
Position Levobupivacaine Bupivacaine P value
pain. In the group of patients who received a local levobu-
Supine 2 2 0,7
pivacaine anesthetic, we identified two with minimal pain,
Sitting 3 3 0,98
eleven mild pain, six moderate pain and one intense pain.
Standing 2 3 0,27
In the group of patients who received bupivacaine, two
Time
experienced minimal pain, thirteen mild, five with moder-
4h 3 2 0,76
ate pain and no one intense pain. We then we focused on
12 h 2 2 0,41
post-operative pain. The degree of post-operative pain is
24 h 2 1 0,09
generally recognized in three positions: in the supine posi-
48 h 1 1 0,25
tion, in the passage from the supine position to sitting,
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Table 4 Post-operative complications and patient structure. While there are no particular differences
satisfaction between regional and general anesthesia, local anesthesia
Complications Levobupivacaine Bupivacaine P value results seem to be better. A potential advantage of local
Nausea/Vomiting 4 5 0,67 anesthesia realized without any monitoring or additional
Itching 1 1 drugs administered intravenously (the so-called local
Infection 0 1 anesthesia not monitored) [7].
Patient satisfaction Levobupivacaine is a local anesthetic with long duration
Completely satisfied 13 13 0,71 of action. It works by blocking nerve conduction of sen-
Moderately satisfied 6 7 sory and motor nerves, interacting predominantly with the
Satisfied 1 0 voltage-gated sodium channels in the membrane of the
cell, but also blocking potassium channels and calcium.
Levobupivacaine also interferes with the transmission of
first request of paracetamol was approximately 226 min- the pulse and the conduction in other tissues where the
utes (about four hours), in the bupivacaine group was effects on the central nervous system and cardiovascular
about 367 minutes (approximately six hours). The number system are the most important for the occurrence of clini-
of patients of the first group who required other analgesics cal adverse reactions. Chirocaine is a compound based
for pain relief within twenty-four hours was six. Five levobupivacaine hydrochloride. It is capable of producing
patients of the second group required others analgesics. a block on both the sympathetic system and on the para-
sympathetic system demonstrating hemodynamic changes
Statistical analysis significantly milder than Ropivacaine, which instead has
In this study, continuous variables was reported as an the greatest influence on the sympathetic system with
average, more or less the standard deviation, and analyzed respect to that parasympathetic [8]. The dose of levobupi-
using ANOVA (analysis of variance). It is a parametric test vacaine is expressed as a basis, unlike the racemic Bupiva-
that is used in statistics to compute the variance between caine where the dose is expressed as a hydrochloride salt.
two or more different groups. Analysis of variance is a set This roughly translates into a 13% more active ingredient
of statistical techniques that are part of the inferential sta- in the solutions of levobupivacaine compared to those of
tistics that allow us to compare two or more groups of bupivacaine. As regards to the pharmacokinetic properties,
data comparing the internal variability of these groups in human trials, the kinetics of distribution of levobupiva-
with the variability between groups. Categorical variables caine after intravenous administration are essentially the
were reported as proportions instead and analyzed using same as bupivacaine. The plasma concentration of levobu-
chi-square test. Chi-square test is one of the tests used in pivacaine following therapeutic administration depends on
statistics using the chi-square variable causal to verify if the dose and, as absorption from the site of administration
the null hypothesis is probabilistically compatible with the is influenced by the vascularity of the tissue, the route of
data. The values relating to the intra-operative pain and administration. It is available in two formulations: Vial of
post-operative pain, as well as those relating to the taking 10 ml polypropylene, in pack sizes of 5, 10 and 20 units,
of analgesics during the postoperative course, were always polipropilene vial of 10 ml in sterile blister packs of 5, 10
reported and analyzed through chi-square test. A P value and 20 units. Chirocaine can be worked in a very large
less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. number of surgical procedures, can be administered in
Based on previous studies, the difference in the level of major surgery for epidural, intrathecal, in nerve conduc-
pain between the group of levobupivacaine and bupiva- tion block device, in minor surgery for local infiltration
caine was 1.5. and for ophthalmic use in order to obtain a peribulbar
block. It could be used in the treatment of pain, as an
Discussion analgesic in the course of delivery, both for bolus infusion,
International literature shows how local anesthesia is and also for the post-operative pain. Among the uses of
certainly more advantageous in terms of costs for the Chirocaine there are scientifically proven mastopexy

Table 5 Intake of analgesics in post-operative period

Parameters Levobupivacaine Bupivacaine P value
Time of first request of paracetamol (min) 226 367 P=0,141
Request of paracetamol in 24 hours (N.patients) 14 12 P=0,852
Need for other analgesics (N. patients) 6 5
Test Used
Chi Square
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interventions [9]. Levobupivacaine is more effective to The anesthetic block consists of four phases: The first
obtain analgesia with local infiltration compared to Ropi- phase, percutaneous, provides the block troncular selec-
vacaine, providing analgesia for postoperative period. tive ilioinguinal nerves and iliohypogastric. The second
Interventions of septoplasty and rhinoseptoplasty with an phase, percutaneous, blocks the genital branch of the
infiltration of levobupivacaine at 0.25% in the nasal region genitofemoral nerve, through a puncture performed
improve the post-operative analgesia and reduce the below the inguinal ligament, lateral to the pubic tuber-
demand for additional analgesia during the twenty-four cle. The third phase, percutaneous, provides for the
hours following nasal surgery. The post-operative analge- infiltration of the surgical incision using a 22 gauge
sia achieved through the local infiltration of levobupiva- spinal needle. The anesthetic block is completed in the
caine has been demonstrated to be significantly more incisional phase by means of an open infiltration per-
powerful and showed longer duration compared to the formed in each anatomical floor during the course of
association lidocaine plus epinephrine. The same holds surgery [19]. Local anesthesia with levobupivacaine and
with regard to the interventions of mini-abdominoplasty bupivacaine is now a established and safe procedure
[5]. In this case levobupivacaine has proved to be more with risks considerably reduced, a quick and full recov-
effective and with a duration indeed higher than ropiva- ery of the patient’s general condition and an immediate
caine. Levobupivacaine can be the agent of first choice in return to normal working activities. Data from the inter-
the thoracic epidural block [10] , compared to the use of a national literature indicate how the levobupivacaine is
Ropivacaine dose equivalent. It has also proved effective less toxic compared to bupivacaine, both at the cardiac
even in the interventions of arthroscopy and Carotid level and at the neurological level [20,21].
Endarterectomy [11]. The purpose of this study was to compare the percep-
Especially in recent years local anesthesia allows the tion of pain intra and post-operative, found as a result of
surgeon to monitor patients and to have simultaneously intervention with the Levobupivacaine, compared to that
shorter hospitalization times and lower costs for the recorded after the same intervention carried out with the
structure. Local anesthesia applied during endarterect- racemic bupivacaine. We used the same dose for both
omy surgery allows the surgeon to assess the levels of anesthetics. The forty patients we studied, were randomly
cerebral perfusion in an awake patient, giving a better distributed in two groups, and were classified on the basis
chance of cerebral protection during arterial clamping. of a number of variables: age, weight, sex, type of hernia,
All these elements indicate that such interventions per- ASA Stadium and location of the hernia. The first point
formed under local anesthesia with levobupivacaine com- on which we focused was intra-operative pain. In the
pounds offer greater chances of success with significantly group of patients treated with levobupivacaine, 10 %
reduced rates of morbidity and mortality [12-14]. reported minimal pain, 55% mild pain, 30% moderate
Locally hernioplasty has proved to be the method with pain, 5% severe pain. In the group of patients treated
the minor impact on the functioning of organs and sys- with bupivacaine, 10% identified minimal pain, 65% mild
tems, as it appears to be safe, effective, with a low inci- pain, 25% moderate pain and no one intense pain. There-
dence of side effects, enabling a rapid mobilization of the fore, we can say that minimal pain is the same in both
patient and significantly reducing the time of hospitaliza- groups. Mild pain was more frequent in the bupivacaine
tion, in less than twenty-four hours [15]. group, moderate pain slightly more frequent in the Levo-
Among rare complications of surgery, hernioplasty bupivacaine group and the same for intense pain. The
under local anesthesia include: cardiovascular instability, second point on which we focused was post-operative
nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, scrotal hematoma, pain, assessed in three positions within 48 hours. In the
edema, infection, orchitis, testicular atrophy and recur- first group, 10% of patients reported pain in the supine
rences. Normally this type of surgery shows a lower position, 15% in the sitting position and 10% standing up.
incidence of complications than the same operation per- In the second group, 10 % reported pain in the supine
formed with general anesthesia. Compared with other position, 15% in the sitting position and 15% standing up.
types of anesthesia, post-operative complications of the Therefore the data show the same results for the first two
respiratory and circulatory systems are significantly positions and a slight preference for levobupivacaine in
reduced [16]. the upright position. With regard to the assessment of
The use of local anesthesia also allows the patient to be pain during the forty-eight hours, we evaluated the
awake, aware, and thus able to collaborate actively con- impressions of the patient’s at four time intervals: four,
ducting a stress-test by performing the Valsalva maneu- twelve, twenty-four and forty-eight hours. In the levobu-
ver or a cough, which allows the surgeon to evaluate pivacaine group, 15% of patients expressed pain relief
intra-operatively the presence of defects, latent trusses after four hours, 10% after 24 hours, 5% after 48 hours.
and sealing of the repair of plastic, reducing significantly In the bupivacaine group, 10% of patients experienced
the proportion of surgical failures [17,18]. pain after four and twelve hours, 5% after twenty-four
Compagna et al. BMC Surgery 2012, 12(Suppl 1):S12 Page 6 of 7
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and forty-eight hours. It is therefore evident how Bupiva- the manuscript, given final approval of the version to be published; AP, CM,
FI, DP: critical revision, given final approval of the version to be published.
caine is preferred slightly after four and twenty four
hours, while the two drugs appear to be equivalent at a Competing interests
distance of twelve and forty-eight hours. The third point The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
we considered werethe postoperative complications and Published: 15 November 2012
overall patient satisfaction. In the Levobupivacaine
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Endocrinosurgery Unit, Dept of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University
Magna Graecia, Italy Catanzaro, Italy. 2Department of Surgical and of local, regional and general anaesthesia for inguinal hernia repair
Gastroenterological Sciences, University of Padua, Italy. 3Department of using data from a randomized clinical trial. Br J Surg 2007, 94:500-505.
Urology, School of Medicine, University “Federico II” of Naples, Italy. 19. Kingsnorth A, Cummings C, Bennett D: Local Anaesthesia in elective inguinal
4 hernia repair: a randomised, double-blind study comparing the efficacy of
Department of General, Geriatric, Oncologic Surgery and advanced
technologies, University “Federico II” of Naples, Via Pansini 5 - 80131 - levobupivacaine with racemic bupivacaine. Eur J Surg 2002, 168:391-396.
Naples, Italy. 20. Gianetta E, Cuneo S, Vitale B, Camerini G, Marini P, Stella M: Anterior
Tension-Free Repair of Recurrent Inguinal Hernia under local Anesthesia.
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RC, BA: conception and design, interpretation of data, given final approval of 21. Amato B, Moja L, Panico S, Persico G, Rispoli C, Rocco N, Moschetti I:
the version to be published; GV, GC, MA, GA: acquisition of data, drafting Shouldice technique versus other open techniques for inguinal hernia
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Compagna et al. BMC Surgery 2012, 12(Suppl 1):S12 Page 7 of 7
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2482/12/S1/S12

doi:10.1186/1471-2482-12-S1-S12
Cite this article as: Compagna et al.: Comparative study between
Levobupivacaine and Bupivacaine for hernia surgery in the elderly. BMC
Surgery 2012 12(Suppl 1):S12.

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