Prolonged analgesia following preoperative bupivacaine neural blockade for oral surgery performed under general anesthesia.

The effectiveness of prolonged neural blockade following removal of impacted third molars under general anesthesia was evaluated in a controlled clinical study. There was a significant reduction in the amount of postoperative pain experienced, and no complications, either local or systemic, occurred. The technique has advantages, especially when general anesthesia is administered to outpatients.