DIFFERENTIAL PERIPHERAL AXON BLOCK WITH LIDOCAINE - UNIT STUDIES IN THE CERVICAL VAGUS NERVE

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (3) , 182-186
Abstract
The differential susceptibility of large and small axons to lidocaine [a local anesthetic] was studied on units in the rabbit vagus nerve. The results classified the units into 3 groups: myelinated, conduction velocity 37.5-5 m/s, which were blocked by lidocaine 0.4-0.8 mM; slow, unmyelinated axons, conduction velocity 1.2-0.5 m/s, and these axons were not blocked by 0.2, 0.4 or 0.6 mM lidocaine but usually were blocked by 0.8 mM lidocaine; and axons of intermediate conduction velocity, between 1.2 and 4 m/s. The last group of axons was the most sensitive; some were blocked by as little as 0.2 mM lidocaine. No size-related trend was detected within the groups.