DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i04.083

Pages: 1663-1667

Different adjuvents are used with local anesthetics to improve quality of peripheral nerve blocks. We evaluated the effect of addition of dexmedetomidine with ropivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block with respect to onset of sensory and motor blockade and duration of blockade and analgesia. Sixty patients of ASA grade I and II, aged 18-60 yrs of either sex scheduled for upper limb surgeries under supraclavicular brachial plexus block were randomly divided into 2 equal groups. Patients in group R (n = 30), received 30 ml of 0.5% ropivacaine with 1ml normal saline (control) and in group RD (n = 30), received 30 ml of 0.5% ropivacaine with 1 ml (100µg) dexmedetomidine. The onset and duration of sensory and motor block, duration of analgesia were analyzed in both the groups. Statistical analysis done with Medcalc software and p value<0.05 taken as significant. The mean time of onset of sensory blockade were 5.5±0.94 min and 3.1±0.80 min respectively in group R and RD. Whereas time of onset of motor blockade were 12.27±1.84 min and 6.47±0.94 min respectively in group R and RD. The durations of sensory and motor block were 459.33 ± 19.38 and 369 ± 18.45 min respectively in group R, whereas they were 695 ± 11.06 and 657 ± 18.27 min respectively in group RD. The duration of analgesia was 487.33± 16.01 min in group R compared to 719.33 ± 11.26 min in group RD (p<0.001). Statistically significant difference was present in respect of onset and duration of sensory and motor blockade and duration of analgesia between 2 groups. We conclude that in supraclavicular brachial plexus block addition of dexmedetomidine in ropivacaine shorten the onset of sensory and motor block and prolongs the durations of sensory and motor block and also increase duration of analgesia.