Comparison of post operative analgesic efficacy of dexmedetomidine versus dexamethasone as an adjuvant in ultrasound guided bilateral superficial cervical block for thyroid surgeries-A randomised control trial

Thyroidectomy is the commonest endocrine surgical procedure being carried out throughout the globe.Majority of these patients have deranged thyroid functions and sometimes may have even malignant changes in the thyroid gland’ The commonest implications during such procedures involve the management of a potential difficult airway, especially in cases of retrosternal goiter, and an enlarged thyroid gland compressing over the trachea for a prolonged duration. Cardiac complications are equally challenging as also the presence of various comorbidities which make the task of anaesthesiologist extremely difficult.The complexity of surgical intervention also adds to these existing challenges as the procedure may vary from simple excision of a thyroid nodule to removal of a large gland which may have a retrosternal extension. Moreover, there always exists a potential risk of uncontrolled hemorrhage from a vascular injury as the major vessels lie in the vicinity of thyroid gland and sometimes from the injury to the thyroid vessels itself.Thyroidectomy causes postoperative pain and patient discomfort. Bilateral superficial cervical plexus block is a regional anesthesia technique that can provide analgesia during and after surgery.

The purpose of the study is to compare the characteristics and side effects following bilateral superficial cervical plexus block with ropivacaine supplemented with either dexmedetomidine or dexamethasone in patients scheduled for elective thyroidectomy surgeries.