Abstract

The most secure, efficient method of delivering anaesthesia for surgery and postoperative pain management is epidural insertion. There is currently no known medication that selectively decreases nociception without causing any negative side effects.We, therefore, conducted a prospective, randomised, double blind, controlled clinical study to compare the effects of magnesium sulphate vs. Dexmedetomidine administered epidurally as adjuvants to ropivacaine for lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries. Material and methods: 90 patients (ASA 1 and 2) between 18-55 yrs of age, weighing 45-75kg with height between 150 -180 cm were randomly divided into three groups according to computer generated random numbers. GROUP (R) (n =30): received bolus of 19 ml epidural injection of 0.75% ropivacaine plus 1ml normal saline. GROUP (D) (n =30): received bolus of 19 ml epidural injection of 0.75% ropivacaine plus injection dexmedetomidine 25 mcg (25 mcg/ml). GROUP (M) (n =30): received bolus of 19 ml epidural injection of 0.75% ropivacaine plus injection magnesium sulfate 50 mg (50mg/ml). The onset of motor and sensory block, duration of block, hemodynamic parameters, and any adverse events were monitored. Results:Onset of the sensory and motor block was earliest in dexmedetomidine followed by magnesium and longest in control (ropivacacaine) group.

Description

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