COMPARISON OF 0.5% LEVOBUPIVACAINE- FENTANYLAND 0.5% ROPIVACAINE-FENTANYL IN INFRAUMBILICAL SURGERIES

Spinal anaesthesia is a commonly performed procedure when the surgical site is located on the lower abdomen, perineum or lower extremities. The advantages are an awake and spontaneously breathing patient, minimal drug costs, reduction of poly-pharmacy and rapid patient turnover. Regional anesthesia techniques have seen numerous modifications over the last two decades with the advent of many new and safer local anesthetics. Presently, hyperbaric bupivacaine is the most commonly used drug for administration of spinal anaesthesia. Levobupivacaine and ropivacaine have recently become available in India for clinical use. Very few studies have been done comparing these two drugs in India. Hence, present study was undertaken to compare 0.5% Levobupivacaine (isobaric)-fentanyl(25µg) and 0.5% Ropivacaine (isobaric)-fentanyl(25µg)with regards to onset and duration of blockade infra umbilical surgeries in spinal anaesthesia. Methods and materials- this is a hospital based randomized double blinded comparative clinical study. Adult patients scheduled for elective infra umbilical surgeries under spinal anaesthesia. Eighty patients were randomized to two groups: group LF and RF (n=40 for each group). All patients received drug volume of 3.5ml containing 3 ml isobaric levobupivacaine (15 mg) + 0.5 ml (25 mcg) fentanyl in group LF, and 3ml isobaric ropivacaine (15mg) + 0.5 ml (25 smcg) fentanyl in group RF. The time for completion of intrathecal administration of study drugs injection is considered as TIME 0. The following parameters were observed – time of onset and duration of sensory block, motor block. Results: In the present study, mean onset of sensory block was faster in Group LF (5.25±0.74 min) than in Group RF (6.53 ± 0.51 min) and was statistically significant (p value < 0.001). In the present study, mean onset of motor block was faster in Group LF (7.25±0.98 min) than in Group LF (11.2 ± 0.61 min) and was statistically significant (p value <0.001). Conclusion: LF group provided better sensory and motor blockade with higher dermatome coverage than RF group.