Intrathecal dextmedetomidine to reduce shoulder tip pain in laparoscopic cholecystectomies under spinal anesthesia

BACKGROUND: General anesthesia as a technique for laparoscopic cholecystectomies has disadvantage in terms of the stress response, lack of postoperative analgesia and emesis. Regional anesthesia offers advantages over general anesthesia in terms of cost, postoperative analgesia, intact respiratory control mechanism and early ambulation. Shoulder tip pain remains the main concerns that can be alleviated by adding various adjuvants to local anesthetics. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of adding intrathecal dexmedetomidine to bupivacaine to decrease shoulder tip pain, onset and duration of sensory and motor block, hemodynamic changes and side effects if any. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Totally, 60 patients were divided into two groups of 30 each. Group A received 3 ml of bupivacaine heavy and group B received 5 µg of dexmedetomidine along with 3 ml of bupivacaine diluted to total volume of 3.5 ml in each group. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: It was done using Chi-square and Student's t-test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Intrathecal dexmedetomidine provides stable hemodynamics, excellent sedation and analgesia and abolishes shoulder tip pain.