Cardiopulmonary and Analgesic Effects of Epidural Lidocaine, Alfentanil, and Xylazine in Pigs Anesthetized With Isoflurane

To determine cardiopulmonary and analgesic effects of lidocaine, alfentanil, and xylazine in pigs anesthetized with isoflurane, 18 healthy Landrace-Large White pigs were studied (six for each drug). General anesthesia was induced with isoflurane in O₂ and maintained with 1% to 1.2% end-tidal ISO, ensuring presence of a pain response before epidural drug administration. Heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressures (AP), cardiac output (CO), pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), central venous pressure, respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (TV), minute volume (MV), arterial blood gas data, core temperature (CT), and analgesic effects (by pricking the lumbar area and the abdominal wall) were determined at various times (2, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 minutes) after epidural administration of lidocaine (5 μg/kg), alfentanil (5 μg/kg), or xylazine (0.2 mg/kg), all diluted in NaCl 0.9% to 0.5 mL/kg. Statistical analysis included two-way analysis of variance for repeated measures and the least significant difference test for determining differences among means. A probability level of P <.05 was used. The following results were statistically significant decreases in systolic AP, HR, TV, RR, MV, CT, pH, PaO₂, and TCO₂ and increases in PCWP, PaCO₂, and HCO₃ after LID. After ALF, only CT and HCO₃ decreased. Core temperature and TV decreased after XYL. Lidocaine provided 45 to 60 minutes of analgesia. Alfentanil had no analgesic effects, and xylazine provided 90 minutes of analgesia. The authors conclude that xylazine, when injected epidurally, provides suitable analgesia in isoflurane-anesthetized pigs.