OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effectiveness of ropivacaine mesylate and ropivacaine hydrochloride in epidural anesthesia and postoperative analgesia.

METHODSForty-four patients undergoing epidural anesthesia for intraperitoneal hysterectomy or hysteromyomectomy were randomly assigned to two equal groups. Group ropivacaine hydrochloride received 15 ml ropivacaine hydrochloride of 7.5 mg/ml in anesthetic and 2 mg/ml in postoperative analgesic subsequently while group ropivacaine mesylate correspondingly received ropivacaine mesylate of both 15 ml of 8.94 mg/ml and 2.374 mg/ml.

RESULTSNo significant differences were found in the onset, extent, and duration of sensory and motor blockage, and also in the hemodynamic stability, when ropivacaine mesylate was comparable with ropivacaine hydrochloride. No severe adverse events were observed in this study.

CONCLUSIONRopivacaine mesylate is an effective and safe alternative to ropivacaine hydrochloride in epidural anesthesia and postoperative analgesia.