PROSPECTIVE INTERVENTIONAL STUDY OF COMPARISON BETWEEN EPIDURALANAESTHESIA PLAIN 0.75% ROPIVACAINE AND 0.75% ROPIVACAINE WITH DEXMEDITOMIDINE IN LOWER ABDOMINAL AND LOWER LIMB SURGERIES

1.1 AIMS: The aim of the study is to identify the benets of adding Dexmedetomidine 0.6mcg/kg to Ropivacaine 0.75% for epidural analgesia for surgeries involving lower abdomen and lower limb, and to observe the onset of sensory and motor blockade, duration of analgesia, and sedation score. 1.2 BACKGROUND: Studies indicate that regional anesthesia has numerous advantages for lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries when compares to general anesthesia. Hence distinct varieties of regional anesthetics are being used for epidural anesthesia. When looking into regional anesthesia it was learned that ropivacaine was the preferred regional anesthesia for its long-acting effect and lower the cardiotoxic action in comparison to Dexmedetomidine. Whereas in comparison to ropivacaine, Dexmedetomidine has an additional effect, along with prolonging the action and sedative effect its neuroprotective effect is mediated by activation of alpha 2 adrenergic receptor subtype [2]. After looking at the individual benets of Ropivacaine, and Dexmedetomidine, this study aims to see the potential benets of the combined effects of these two drugs. 1.3 OBJECTIVE: To study the onset of action, duration of sensory and motor blockade, and any hemodynamic variations, level of sensory and motor blockade. 1.4 METHODS: The Patients were randomly allocated to two groups and each group consisted of 50 patients 1) Group R -15ml of 0.75% Ropivacaine 2) Group RD- 15ml of 0.75% Ropivacaine + 0.6µg/kg of dexmedetomidine. 1.5 RESULTS:The study concluded that adding dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to Ropivacaine for epidural anesthesia reduced the time to onset of action, and increased the duration of sensory blockade. Patients were calm, with sedation scores of 3 and 4 in RD Group, and did not require extra sedation. Patients were hemodynamically stable in both groups.