Abstract: In this study we investigated whether washout of local anesthetic with sodium bicarbonate compared with 0.9% NaCl through an epidural catheter could provide a faster recovery of motor and sensory block in patients undergoing 2% plain lidocaine epidural anesthesia. In a randomized and double-blinded clinical trial, 60 ASA classes I and II male patients scheduled for elective knee or ankle orthopedic procedures underwent epidural anesthesia with 2% plain lidocaine were enrolled. A T4 dermatome level of analgesia was maintained intraoperatively. Following surgery, patients were randomly allocated to receive no epidural bolus (control), 15 mL Normal Saline (NS) or 0.4 mL sodium bicarbonate plus 14.6 mL normal saline (BC) postoperatively through epidural catheter. Assessment of motor and sensory block was performed at 5 min intervals until complete motor and sensory block recovery. Times to complete sensory and motor block recovery were significantly less in NS and BC groups compared with control group (p = 0.012) but there were no significant differences between NS and BC group (p = 0.08). The results suggest that recovery of sensory and motor function of the lower extremities in patients undergoing epidural anesthesia with plain 2% lidocaine can be accelerated with epidural administration of 15 mL NS or 0.4 mL Sodium bicarbonate plus 14.6 mL NS.