Anesthetic properties and toxicity of bupivacaine and lidocaine for infiltration anesthesia.

The purpose of this study was to measure the toxicity and anesthetic properties of two anesthetic agents, bupivacaine and lidocaine. These anesthetic agents did not damage tissue defenses or invite infection in experimental animals. In addition, the pain of subdermal injection, the onset of anesthesia, and the frequency of satisfactory anesthesia in human volunteers were remarkably similar. Because the duration of anesthesia induced by bupivacaine was nearly four times longer than that by lidocaine, bupivacaine is recommended for infiltration anesthesia of lacerations treated in the emergency department.