Effect of addition of Dexmedetomidine 0.5 MCG/ML with 0.2% Ropivacaine and 0.2% Ropivacaine alone in epidural labour analgesia: a randomized comparative study

Abstract

Introduction: The pain of childbirth is the most painful experience for many women and maternal request is a sufficient indication for providing her pain relief during labour. The McGill pain questionnaire ranks labour pain scale between cancer pain and amputation of a digit. Labour pain is associated with maternal physiological responses, which are not necessarily beneficial to the foetal well-being. Maternal hyperventilation causes an increase in oxygen consumption, plasma catecholamine concentrations, hypertension and tachycardia.Materials and Methods: This prospective, comparative study was conducted at Department of Anaesthesia, Shimoga Institute of Medical Sciences, Shimoga during the period of August 2017 to September 2019, written consent was obtained from all parturients in the study. The sample size obtained was 19 for each group which was rounded up to 30 for each group. So final sample size estimated was 60.Results: Looking at figure-1, Demographic and obstetric variables were comparable in both the groups and with no statistical significance which was calculated by calculated by independent sample t-test with Levene’s test for equality of variances. To assess the neonatal status APGAR score (table 1) at 1 and 5 mins was evaluated. It was found that there was NO statistically significant difference in mean APGAR score at1 min (p=1.000) and 5 mins (p=0.309).Conclusion: Epidural labour analgesia is considered to be a gold standard for pain management during labour, when ropivacaine along with dexmedetomidine is used. Many studies have been conducted to prove the use of dexmedetomidine in obstetric anesthesia in optimal doses. This wonder drug provides excellent maternal satisfaction and good progress of labour with minimal side effects to mother and foetus.