A comparative study on upper limb supraclavicular brachial plexus block: dexmedetomidine with ropivacaine and dexamethasone with ropivacaine and ropivacaine alone

Abstract

Introduction:Pain is defined as “As unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage”. Pain is an inevitable consequence of surgery. Surgical intervention done to reduce human suffering is associated with pain and distress to patients. Material and Methods:The present study from January 2019 to May 2020 was conducted on 60 cases prospectively in patients admitted to the, Dept .of anaesthesia ,Gandhi medical college and Hamidia hospital, Bhopal , MP, undergoing elective upper limb surgery. The inclusion and exclusion criteria, 60 ASA physical status I or II patients of either sex, aged 18-60 yrs  were randomly allocated in to 3 groups of 20 each.Results: Demographic data(age ,sex) and surgical characteristics (duration of surgery and type of surgery) were similar in all the 3 .There is significant difference in the total duration of sensory and  motor block between the three groups. (P <0.001).The duration sensory and motor blockade is longest in Dexamethasone group followed by Dexmedetomidine group as compared to the control group Ropivacaine alone.Conclusion: We conclude that although both Dexmedetomidine and Dexamethasone are better adjuvants to Ropivacaine as compared to Ropivacaine alone  in Supraclavicular Brachial block , Dexamethasone is a better choice in terms of  prolonging the  duration of sensory and motor blockade and duration of analgesia,  followed by Dexmedetomidine than Ropivacaine alone.

Keywords: Brachail plexus ;  Ropivacaine ; Dexamethasone; Dexmedetomidine, ASA( American Society of Anesthesia)