Midazolam as an adjuvant to intrathecal lignocaine: A prospective randomized control study

CONTEXT: Unfortunately in the past decade, phenomenon of transient neurologic symptoms (TNS) cast doubts on the use of lignocaine for spinal anesthesia. Intrathecal midazolam has been proved to have its role in relieving neuropathic pain. We attempted to study the role of midazolam as an adjuvant to intrathecal lignocaine. AIMS: The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of intrathecal midazolam as an adjuvant to spinal lignocaine in terms of quality and duration of spinal sensory blockade. The secondary objectives are to study the effect on hemodynamics and the incidence of TNS. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A prospective randomized control double-blinded study in American Society of Anesthesiology I and II surgical population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hundred healthy adult patients scheduled for elective infraumbilical surgery were randomly assigned to group A patients received spinal anesthesia with 1.5 ml of 5% lignocaine heavy with 0.4 ml of 0.9% saline and group B (control group) received spinal anesthesia with 1.5 ml of 5% heavy lignocaine with 0.4 ml of preservative-free 0.5% midazolam. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Z test for study parameters and analysis of variance was used for hemodynamic parameters in the same group. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Midazolam resulted in improved quality of sensory blockade in terms of early onset, increased duration of effective analgesia, and delayed two segment regression time and also decreases the incidence of TNS with intrathecal lignocaine. CONCLUSIONS: Midazolam is an effective adjuvant to intrathecal lignocaine.