Comparison of ropivacaine with levobupivacaine under epidural anesthesia in the lower limb orthopedic surgeries: A randomized study

CONTEXT: Epidural anesthesia is nowadays considered as the gold standard anesthetic technique for lower limb orthopedic surgeries, and the present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of levobupivacaine and ropivacaine in terms of onset, duration of sensory and motor block with duration of postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgeries under epidural anesthesia. AIMS: To compare the efficacy of 15 mL of levobupivacaine 0.5% with that of 15 mL of ropivacaine 0.75% in patients undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgeries under epidural anesthesia and to determine the better of the two agents with respect to onset, duration of sensory and motor blockade, postoperative analgesia, and adverse effects; if any. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A double-blind randomized study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of seventy patients planned to undergo elective lower limb orthopedic surgeries fulfilling the criteria were enrolled in the study. Group I (n = 35): Received 15 mL 0.5% levobupivacaine epidurally. Group II (n = 35): Received 15 mL 0.75% ropivacaine epidurally. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statistical Analysis was done by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 15.0) statistical analysis software. The values were represented in number (%) and mean ± standard deviation. RESULTS: Time to achieve sensory onset and motor onset were significantly lower in Group II (17.86 ± 2.51 and 23.14 ± 2.73) as compared to Group I (26.14 ± 2.45 and 31.43 ± 2.59) while the duration of sensory block was significantly higher in Group II (173.29 ± 6.29 min) as compared to Group I (156.71 ± 6.96 min). Although motor block duration of Group I (142.43 ± 8.43 min) was higher than that of Group II (141.43 ± 12.81 min), but this difference was not found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The inference drawn from this discussion, in general, indicated that both the drugs are comparable for block onset, quality, and duration along with similar hemodynamic profile when given in same concentration. However, relatively better response of ropivacaine for block onset and duration as obtained in the present study coupled with higher but statistically.