Abstract

EFFICACY OF DEXMEDITOMIDINE AND MAGNESIUM AS ADJUNCTS TO EPIDURAL BUPIVACAINE FOR UPPER ABDOMINAL SURGERIES

Tantry Tariq Gani (MD), Abdul Waheed Mir(MD), Farooq Ahmad Ganie (MS, Mch)*, Mohamad Akbar Shah(MD), Shazia Naz(MD), Mohd Iqbal Dar(MD)

Abstract

Background: This prospective, randomized, double-blind study was undertaken to establish the effect of addition of magnesium or dexmedetomidine, as an adjunct, to epidural bupivacaine in upper abdominal surgeries. Materials and Methods: Sixty ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) class I and II patients undergoing upper abdominal surgeries were enrolled to receive either magnesium sulfate (Group M) or dexmedetomidine (Group D) along with epidural bupivacaine for surgical anesthesia. All the study subjects received an epidural anesthesia with 8 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine along with either MgSO4 50 mg (Group M) or dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg (Group D). Duration of analgesia, total rescue analgesic requirement, hemodynamic parameters and any adverse events were monitored. Results: Analgesia in the postoperative period was better in Group BD, rescue analgesic requirement was less in Group BD and incidence of sedation was more in Group BD. Conclusion: Hence, addition of dexemedetomidine to epidural bupivacaine can be advantageous with respect to better analgesia and arousable sedation.

Keywords: Dexmedetomidine, magnesium sulphate, bupivacaine.