Original Research Article
Year: 2016 | Month: December | Volume: 3 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 65-73
Effect of Dexamethasone on Postoperative Analgesia When Added to Ropivacaine in “3-In-1” Femoral Nerve Block: A Randomized Control Trial
Dr. Snehil Gupta1, Dr. U. D Sharma2, Dr. Bhupendra Singh3, Dr. Babita4, Dr. Neelam Meena5, Dr. Satveer Singh Gurjar1
13rd Year Resident, 2Senior Professor, 3Assistant Professor, 5Associate Professor,Dept of Anaesthesiology, Dr. S. N Medical College, Jodhpur.
4Assistant Divisional Medical Officer, Divisional Railway Hospital Jodhpur.
Corresponding Author: Dr. Bhupendra Singh
ABSTRACT
Background: Shaft of femur fractures are commonly encountered in orthopaedic practice and “3-in-1”Femoral nerve block provide good postoperative analgesia. Adding dexamethasone as an adjuvant to local anaesthetics prolong the duration of analgesia.
Aim: To study the effect of dexamethasone with ropivacaine as postoperative analgesic using 3-in-1 femoral nerve block for fracture shaft femur surgery.
Materials & Methods: 80 patients were randomly allocated in two group R and group RD (each=40),received combined ultrasound-stimulation guided “3-in-1” Femoral nerve block using either 40 ml 0.5% Ropivacaine (group R) or 40 ml 0.5% Ropivacaine with 8 mg Dexamethasone (group RD) at the end of the surgery. Both the groups were assessed for duration of sensory block, motor block and analgesia, total opioid consumption and complications.
Results: Study revealed that the duration of motor block in group R was significantly less than group RD (397.5 ± 101.39 mins v/s 768 ± 229.86 mins). Also, Patients in Group R had earlier return of sensation than patients in Group RD. The mean time for duration of analgesia of group R is 527.32 ± 157.59 mins and group RD is 1159.5 ± 301.81 mins. Total opioid consumption showed significant difference between both the groups. (Group R 172.5±81.61 mg v/s group RD 57.5 ±63.59 mg of Tramadol: p<0.001).
Conclusion: Dexamethasone with 0.5% Ropivacaine in 3-in-1 femoral nerve block have significant prolongation of duration of postoperative analgesia with side-effects sparing profile, hence it is recommended in cases in which long duration of analgesia is required.
Key words:“3-in-1” Femoral nerve block, Ropivacaine, Dexamethasone, fracture shaft of femur.
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