A Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial for analgesic role of Dexmedetomidine vs Dexamethasone as adjuvant in Axillary Brachial plexus block in forearm and hand surgeries.

Patient compliance and duration of analgesia are two very important aspects of anaesthetic care. Therefore, in recent times it is quite essential to formulate better combination of drugs that provide adequate analgesia for longer duration. Dexamethasone has commonly been used for extension of spinal anaesthesia duration. Alpha-2 agonists are often mixed with local anaesthetic agents to extend the duration of spinal, epidural and peripheral nerve blocks. Our study will compare the efficacy of dexmedetomidine as adjuvant to 0.5% Levobupivacaine versus dexamethasone as adjuvant to 0.5% Levobupivacaine for prolongation of duration of analgesia with axillary brachial plexus block in forearm and hand surgeries.

There is paucity of studies comparing Dexamethasone and Dexmedetomidine with local anaesthetic agents in axillary brachial plexus block. Hence, the study will be beneficial to compare the effect of an alpha 2 agonist with respect to a steroid when used with a local anaesthetic agent in prolonging the duration of analgesia.

Expected outcome: The use of dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to 0.5% levobupivacaine should provide longer duration of analgesia than dexamethasone as an adjuvant to same drug. Both the drugs are haemodynamically stable but slightly more bradycardia is seen with dexmedetomidine. In the outcome of our proposed study, it will be determined whether there is any significant difference in prolonging the duration of analgesia and reducing postoperative pain while using dexmedetomidine with respect to dexamethasone as adjuvants to 0.5% levobupivacaine in axillary brachial plexus block and to assess different adverse effects of both.