• Mahima Gupta, S Shailaja, and K Sudhir Hegde.
• Resident, Department of Anaesthesiology, Father Muller Medical College , Mangalore, India .
• J Clin Diagn Res. 2014 Feb 1;8(2):114-7.

BackgroundThe supplementation of local anaesthetics with adjuvants to improve the efficacy of subarachnoid block has been recognised since long. The most preferred drug has been opioids, but newer drugs like dexmedetomidine has also been introduced and investigated as an effective adjuvant.AimThis study was conducted to evaluate and compare the characteristics of subarachnoid blockade, hemodynamic stability and adverse effects of intrathecal buprenorphine and intrathecal dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine for lower abdominal surgeries.Materials And MethodsThe present study included 60 patients aged between 18-60 years classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status (PS) I/II scheduled for elective lower abdominal surgeries. The patients were randomly allotted to two groups to receive intrathecal 3ml of 0.5% bupivacine with 60µg of buprenorphine (Group B; n=30) or 3ml of 0.5% bupivacaine with 5µg of dexmedetomidine (Group D; n=30). The onset time to peak sensory level, motor block, sedation, Haemodynamic variables, duration of motor block, analgesia and any adverse effects were noted.ResultsThere was no significant difference between groups regarding demographic characteristics and type of surgery. The motor, sensory blockade and time of rescue analgesia were significantly prolonged in Group D compared to Group B. The sedation level was higher in Group D compared to Group B. There was no significant difference in haemodynamic variables although Group B had lower Heart Rate (HR) than Group D.ConclusionIntrathecal dexmedetomidine when compared to intrathecal buprenorphine causes prolonged anaesthesia and analgesia with reduced need for sedation and rescue analgesics.

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