TO COMPARE AND EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF DEXMEDETOMIDINE AS AN ADJUVANT TO LOCAL ANAESTHETIC AGENTS IN SUPRACLAVICULAR BRACHIAL PLEXUS BLOCK FOR ELECTIVE FOREARM SURGERY

A variety of receptor mediated nociception on peripheral sensory axons and the peripheral administration of appropriate drugs (adjuncts) may have analgesic benefit without the disadvantage of systemic adverse effects and it may also allow reduction in the total dose of local anaesthetic used. Recent studies suggest that α2 agonists when combined with local anaesthetics extends the duration of regional anaesthesia. Thus, in the present study, we investigated the effects of adding dexmedetomidine 50 μg to a 30 mL of local anaesthetic solution in supraclavicular brachial plexus block with respect to onset and duration of motor and sensory block and duration of analgesia. METHODS Sixty patients scheduled for elective forearm surgery were divided into two equal groups in a randomised double blind fashion. In group C (n=30), 20 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine+10 mL of 2% lignocaine+0.5 mL of normal saline and in group D (n=30) 20 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine+10 mL of 2% lignocaine+50 μg dexmedetomidine were given for supraclavicular brachial plexus block using peripheral nerve stimulator. Onset and duration of sensory and motor block were assessed along with total duration of analgesia. Demographic and haemodynamic data were subjected to student’s t-test and for statistical analysis of onset time and duration of sensory and motor blocks and total duration of analgesia, unpaired t-test was applied. P-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant and P-value <0.001 as highly significant. RESULTS Dexmedetomidine added as an adjuvant to local anaesthetic agents for supraclavicular block shortens onset time and significantly prolongs the duration of sensory and motor blocks and duration of analgesia.