A RANDOMIZED DOUBLE-BLIND CLINICAL STUDY COMPARING THE EFFICIENCY OF FENTANYL WITH ROPIVACAINE VERSUS DEXMEDETOMIDINE WITH ROPIVACAINE AS ANAESTHETIC DOSE THROUGH EPIDURAL CATHETERIN LOWER LIMB SURGERIES

Abstract

Introduction: Epidural anesthesia is used in modern lower limb surgeries for pain management, offering flexibility and prolonged analgesia. It requires higher doses and can be combined with sedatives like fentanyl and lordexmedetomidine to reduce local anesthetic doses. Aims: The study compares the efficacy of 0.75% ropivacaine with fentanyl and 0.75% ropivacaine with dexmedetomidine in onset of action and duration quality of epidural anesthesia during lower limb surgeries. Methodology: A prospective randomized double blind clinical study at Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences in India found that epidural 0.75% ropivacaine with dexmedetomidine offers better onset and longer duration of sensory and motor block compared to epidural 0.75% ropivacaine with fentanyl. Results: The study compared sensory block onset, motor block duration, and adverse effects between DR and FR groups, finding DR group had lower heartrates post-intervention and more bradycardia cases. Discussion: The study found similar gender distribution, procedural efficiency, and faster sensory block onset in the DR group, emphasizing the importance of tailoring anesthetic choices to individual patient profiles. Conclusion: Exmedetomidine is preferred over opivacaine in lower limb surgeries due to its early onset, longer sensory and motor block duration, stable hemodynamics, and less adverse effects.