Comparison of Levobupivacaine and Levobupivacaine with Dexmedetomidine in Infraumbilical Surgeries Under Spinal Anesthesia

INTRODUCTION: Spinal anesthesia is a widely used technique providing faster onset with effective and uniformly distributed sensory and motor block. Due to decreased cardiovascular and central nervous system toxicity, levobupivacaine is a good alternative for spinal anesthesia. Dexmedetomidine when used intrathecally is associated with prolonged motor and sensory block, hemodynamic stability, and less requirement of rescue analgesia in 24 h. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, randomized study was carried out which included 60 adult patients between the age group of 20 and 65 years of physical status American Society of Anesthesiologists Classes I and II who underwent infraumbilical surgeries. Group L patients received 3 ml (15 mg) of 0.5% isobaric levobupivacaine + 0.3 ml normal saline while Group LD patients received 3 ml (15 mg) of 0.5% isobaric levobupivacaine + 0.3 ml (3 μg) dexmedetomidine. The two groups were compared with respect to the onset and duration of sensory and motor block and hemodynamic stability. RESULTS: The mean duration of sensory block in Group L was 199.50 ± 7.96 min while in Group LD was 340.20 ± 11.78 min. All the differences were statistically highly significant between the two groups (P < 0.001). Mean duration of motor block in Group L and LD was 150.83 ± 9.17 min and 190.20 ± 9.61 min, respectively. Both the differences were highly significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that Group LD has early-onset and prolonged duration of sensory and motor block and longer duration of postoperative analgesia than Group L.