Abstract

Anesthesiologist play a main role in providing comfort to patient, monitor the patient and maintain normal physiological levels. With the advancement of anaesthesia different techniques are being used in combination with different drugs for providing pain relief. With introduction of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine, a new era of pain relief had begun. Materials and Methods: A total number of 200 patients, 100 in each group were selected for study; patients were allocated randomly into groups by lottery method. Group LB, n=100: Consists of patients who received 20 ml of Levobupivacaine 0.5% in epidural route and Group R, n=100: Consists of patients who received 20 ml of Ropivacaine 0.75% in epidural route. After fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the patients were enrolled into the study and informed written consent was obtained from all patients. The pulse rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and SpO2 were recorded before starting the case. Peripheral venous conflation was done with 18G IV cannula and all the patients were preloaded with 10ml/kg Ringer Lactate solution. Results: On set time of sensory blockade is taken from the completion of injection of study drug till the patient does not feel the pin prick. The mean time of onset of sensory block to T10 level in group LB was10.02±3.21 min, in group R was 9.10±2.20 min and is considered to be statistically not significant. The mean time to attain maximum sensory level 15.6±3.70 min for group LB, 14.50±2.80 min for group R, which is not statistically significant. Conclusion: Our study has shown that two drugs were same in sensory block characteristics such as mean on set time of sensory blockade, mean time to attain maximum sensory level, maximum level of sensory blockade, two segment regression time, and duration of analgesia. Also motor parameters such as mean time of onset of motor block, and duration of motor block and quality of motor block were comparable between the groups with a statistically insignificant p value. With respect to haemodynamic parameters and side effect profiles, both Levobupivacaine and Ropivacaine were comparable. Both drugs could be better alternatives to Bupivacaine in epidural anaesthesia.

Description