European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Levobupivacaine is a long acting, amide-type local anaesthetic
that is the S(−) 3- isomer of the racemate bupivacaine. In general, in vitro, in vivo and
human volunteer studies of nerve block indicate that levobupivacaine is as potent as
bupivacaine and produces similar sensory and motor block. Dexmedetomidine is used as
an adjuvant in spinal anesthesia and is associated with prolonged motor and sensory block,
hemodynamic stability, and less requirement of rescue analgesia in 24 h as a result it
facilitates reduction in dose of local anesthetic. Aim of the study: To compare isobaric
levobupivacaine 0.5% versus isobaric levobupivacaine 0.5% with 3 mcg Dexmeditomidine
in spinal anaesthesia. Materials and methods: The present study was conducted in the
Department of Anesthesiology of the medical institution. For the study, we selected a total
of 50 patients in the age group of 20-65 years of physical status American Society of
Anesthesiologists (ASA) Classes I and II admitted for surgeries requiring spinal
anesthesia. An informed written consent was obtained from all the participants after
explaining them the protocol of the study. The patients were randomly grouped into two
groups, Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 patients received 3 ml (15 mg) of 0.5% isobaric
levobupivacaine + 0.3 ml normal saline, whereas Group 2 patients received 3 ml (15 mg) of
0.5% isobaric levobupivacaine + 0.3 ml (3 μg) dexmedetomidine. Results: It was observed
that the number of male patients in group 1 and 2 was 12 and 14, respectively. The number
of female patients in group 1 and 2 was 13 and 11, respectively. The mean age of patients
in group 1 was 46.28 years and in group 2 was 47.12 years. It was observed that the mean
duration of sensory block in Group 2 was significantly higher than Group 1. The mean
duration of motor block in both the groups was similar and was statistically nonsignificant.
Conclusion: Within the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded
that the duration of sensory block increases with addition of 3 mcg of dexmedetomidine
with Levobupivacaine as compared to plain Levobupivacaine. The results were found to be
statistically significant.