Dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant for extension of postoperative analgesia in ropivacaine induced supraclavicular brachial plexus block

Abstract

Pain is recognized as the fifth vital sign. The pain must be adequately treated esp. in postoperative period. The study was carried out at Department of Anesthesiology, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences Indore. The aim of the study was to assess the role of Dexmedetomidine in extension of post-operative analgesia. The study included 88 participants who were equally divided randomly into two groups i.e. with and without Dexmedetomidine intervention after the inclusion and exclusion criteria’s. The duration of post-operative analgesia in both groups indicating that contemplated surgery could be finished without need for additional analgesic supplement as the minimum and maximum time for surgery were within the range of effective analgesia without movement of limb. The time for demand of dose of rescue analgesic by the patients in both groups was 493.6±48.6 minutes and 961.0±141.6 minutes. The Dexmedetomidine group had a less demand of rescue analgesia. (P = 0.000). Whereas 23(52.2%) patients of Nonintervention group needed 2 to 4 doses of injection of diclofenac sodium by intramuscular route to control pain.Addition of Dexmedetomidine 100 mcg to ropivacaine 0.5% solution for conduct of supraclavicular block improved the block quality and provided prolonged postoperative pain free period and decreased the demand of systemic analgesics.