Fifty patients scheduled for transurethral surgery of the bladder were randomly assigned to receive spinal anesthesia with either 4 ml of 2% glucose-free lidocaine or 1.6 ml of 5% hyperbaric lidocaine. Following pre-hydration with isotonic saline 500 ml, all intrathecal injections were performed in the sitting position. The patient was placed supine immediately after injection and then put in lithotomy after 5 minutes. Analgesia was assessed by pinprick every 5 minutes during onset and every 15 minutes at regression. Additional assessment included extent and degree of motor block, time to ability to walk 5 meters, and time to spontaneous micturition.