Spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine.

0.5% bupivacaine was administered intrathecally for the operative anesthesia of the lower extremities. Fifty-five patients who underwent surgery of the lower extrimity were studied using doses of 2.5 to 15mg. The duration of analgesia, analgesic area and cardiovascular responses were assessed.It was found that 7.5 to 15mg of bupivacaine provided satisfactory spinal anesthesia for surgical procedures on the lower extremities. Anesthesia by bupivacaine had long time effect of analgesia and caused no significant hypotension or bradycardia.