A Comparitive Study of Bupivacaine 0.5% versus Ropivacaine 0.5% for Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block in Adult Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Peripheral nerve blocks have become important in clinical practice because of their role in post-operative pain relief, shortening of patient recovery time & avoiding risks and adverse effects of general anaesthesia. Bupivacaine is a long acting local anaesthetic. Due to its long duration of action and combined with its high quality sensory blockade compared to motor blockade it has been the most commonly used local anaesthetic for peripheral nerve blocks. Ropivacaine is a newer, long acting local anaesthetic whose neuronal blocking potential used in peripheral nerve blockade seems to be equal or superior to bupivacaine. Studies show that it has significantly greater safety margin over bupivacaine. Hence here is an attempt through the study to compare bupivacaine with ropivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block in adult patients. Aims and Objectives: To compare the effect of bupivacaine 0.5% & ropivacaine 0.5% used for supraclavicular approach to brachial plexus block with respect to onset time of sensory blockade, onset time of motor blockade, duration of sensory blockade, duration of motor blockade, duration of analgesia, side effects/ complications. Method of Collection of Data: Sixty patients aged between 18 years and 60 years, of physical status ASA grade 1 and ASA grade 2 undergoing elective upper limb surgeries lasting more than 30 minutes were included in the study after getting ethical clearance. Each patient was randomly allocated to one of the two groups of 30 patients each. The patients were explained about the procedure and premedicated with tab alprazolam 0.5mg, and tab ranitidine 150 mg. The anesthetic technique employed was supraclavicular brachial plexus block using 30 ml of either 0.5% bupivacaine or 0.5% ropivacaine