[Local analgesic action by direct effect of pethidine on the nervous trunks].

The aim of this paper is to study the analgesic effects of meperidine (pethidine) on nervous trunks. First we compared the analgesic effect of pethidine in surgery of knee and femur. Meperidine was randomly administered either by femoral block or intravenously. The onset of analgesia was shorter with femoral block (5 minutes against 146 minutes). In the surgery of shoulder, nerve block with meperidine was performed using intersclalenic block. Plasma concentrations ar lower (maximum of 0.29 mg per liter) than intravenous therapeutic concentrations (between 0.5 and 0.7 mg per liter). So we can conclude as do other papers, there is a direct effect of meperidine on nervous trunks. This effect is probably mediated by receptors located on nervous trunks.