Effects of dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine on the treatment of lumbar plexus sciatic nerve block in elderly patients with lower limb fractures

Abstract

To further explore the effects of dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine in the treatment of lumbar plexus sciatic nerve block in elderly patients with lower limb fractures. 98 patients with lower limb fractures enrolled from January 2020 to January 2022 were randomly divided into the study and control groups, with 49 cases in each group. The study group received dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine for nerve block; while the control group received ropivacaine for nerve block. The anesthesia effect (duration time of onset and duration time of sensory block and motor block), heart rate, blood pressure, pain score, and adverse effects were compared between the study and control groups. Patients in the study group given dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine for lumbar plexus sciatic nerve block had a longer duration time of sensory block and motor block than the control group, showing a better anesthetic effect. The levels of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in the study group at T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 were significantly lower than that in the control group. The pain scores of the study group was lower than that of the control group, indicating the effects of dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine on reducing pain. Besides, the study group showed an adverse reaction incidence of 4.08%, which was slightly higher than that of the control group, with an index of 2.04%, without statistically significant difference. Dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine can enhance the effect of ropivacaine block, improve the heart rate index, and reduce patients’ pain, which is one of the reliable schemes in clinical practice for lumbar plexus sciatic nerve block.