A number of etiological and pathogenetic problems related to parodontal diseases are still insufficiently clarified. Further in vivo studies are necessary. The analyses of properties of some ...experimental animals based on literature data and own experience are presented. Particular attention is payed to the selection of experimental animal as a model for parodontal studies. Advantages of using domestic swine for xperimental purposes are discussed in details.
Objectives To compare the effects of paravertebral analgesia with levobupivacaine or bupivacaine on intra- and postoperative pain for thoracic surgery. Design A prospective, randomized, and ...double-blinded study. Setting A university hospital. Participants Forty patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Interventions Patients received paravertebral catheterization and a bolus (14-20 mL) of 0.5% bupivacaine (n = 20) or 0.5% levobupivacaine (n = 20) with morphine, 60 μg/kg, before the induction of general anesthesia that consisted of a propofol infusion. A paravertebral continuous infusion (0.05 mL/kg/h) of 0.25% bupivacaine or 0.25% levobupivacaine, 100 mL, with added morphine, 10 mg, and clonidine, 0.15 mg, was started at the end of surgery for 72 hours postoperatively. Postoperative rescue diclofenac analgesia was available if required. Measurements and Main Results The primary outcome was intraoperative fentanyl consumption. Static and dynamic pain scores measured by a visual analog scale were assessed regularly. Intraoperative fentanyl consumption was significantly lower in the levobupivacaine group compared with the bupivacaine group ( p = 0.001). On all 3 postoperative days, static pain scores were significantly lower in the levobupivacaine group compared with the bupivacaine group ( p < 0.05). Dynamic pain scores were significantly lower in the levobupivacaine group compared with the bupivacaine group during the 2 postoperative days ( p < 0.05). A smaller proportion of patients in the levobupivacaine group used rescue analgesia ( p < 0.005). Conclusions Paravertebral analgesia with levobupivacaine resulted in less intraoperative fentanyl consumption, lower static (3 days) and dynamic (2 days) pain scores, and less rescue analgesia than analgesia with bupivacaine.
