EFFICACY OF DEXMEDETOMIDINE AS AN ADJUVANT TO BUPIVACAINE FOR CAUDAL ANALGESIA IN PAEDIATRIC PATIENTS UNDERGOING LOWER ABDOMINAL SURGERIES

CONTEXT: Various adjuvants such as opioids or α2 agonists are being used to improve the quality and duration of caudal analgesia with local anesthetics. Dexmedetomidine a α2 agonist is used frequently in adult patients to enhance the local anesthetic effect. However there is little literature regarding its effectiveness in pediatric caudal analgesia. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of dexmedetomidine when used as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in increasing the duration of caudal analgesia. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of adding Dexmedetomidine to caudal Bupivacaine and observe the effect on the duration of analgesia in the post-operative period. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: One year hospital based Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Sixty children, aged 1-6 years, undergoing lower abdominal surgeries were included in this prospective randomized double-blind study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: Group I received Bupivacaine (0.25%) 1ml/kg plus 1 ml of normal saline in the caudal epidural space. Group II was administered Bupivacaine (0.25%) 1ml/ with Dexmedetomidine 2 mcg/ ml diluted to 1 ml of normal saline in the caudal epidural space. All anesthetic and surgical techniques were standardized. Heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, respiratory rate were monitored continuously. Surgery was started 10-15 minutes after the injection and confirming adequacy of caudal block. Duration of analgesia was assessed using FLACC scale (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale). The time from administration of caudal anesthesia to the first time the FLACC score equal or greater than 4 was considered as the duration of caudal analgesia. Paracetamol suppository was used as rescue analgesia with a loading dose of 40mg/kg. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Mann-Whitney test and Student 't'test was used to compare the data obtained in the two groups. RESULTS: The demographic parameters, duration of surgery and the types of surgery were comparable in the two groups. The mean duration of analgesia was261.33 ± 31.04 min in Group I compared to 532.67 ± 47.12 min in Group II. Hence the duration of analgesia was found significantly prolonged in Group II than in Group I with p value