European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Introduction: One of the primary aims of anesthesia is to relieve the patient's pain and
agony, thereby the surgical procedures can be conducted without any discomfort. Relief of
intraoperative and postoperative pain has gained importance in recent years, considering the
central, peripheral and immunological stress response to tissue injury. Any expertise acquired
in this field should be extended into the postoperative period, which is the period of severe,
intolerable pain requiring attention. So there is need of extended analgesia without any side
effects in the process of achieving this goal. “Regional anaesthesia” is the term first used by
Harvey Cushing in 1901 to describe pain relief by nerve block 1. Regional nerve blocks are
based on the concept that pain stimulus conveyed by nerve fibers, which are amenable to
interruption anywhere along their pathway 2. Brachial plexus block is a valuable and safe
alternative to general anesthesia in upper limb surgeries. Interrupting the acute pain which
can help in limiting the development of chronic pain syndromes 3, 4. The effects of opioids on
regional blockade is controversial. So the present study is being undertaken to evaluate
Fentanyl as an adjuvant to Ropivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block.
Methodology: Hospital based Prospective randomized single blinded study. Conducted on
eighty patients of ASA I and II posted for upper limb surgeries under supraclavicular block.
Patients were divided randomly by means of random number table generated by computer
into two groups as A and B. Each group consisting of 40 patients. Prior to the study
Institutional Ethical committee approval and consent from the patients were taken. The study
was conducted in the Department of Anesthesiology, at Katuri medical college &Hospital,
Guntur from January 2016 to October 2017.