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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effect of Adding Dexmedetomidine to Bupivacaine in Ultrasound Guided Rectus Sheath Block: A Randomized Controlled Double-blinded Study

The Open Anesthesia Journal 30 Apr 2019 RESEARCH ARTICLE DOI: 10.2174/2589645801913010025

Abstract

Background:

Extended midline laparotomy incision is accompanied by intense pain postoperatively which affects patients’ physiology; therefore, good control of postoperative pain is mandatory to decrease the adverse effects on the body. Ultrasound-guided Bilateral Rectus Sheath Block (BRSB) is one of the options to achieve this goal.

Objective:

The study aimed to assess the analgesic potency of adding dexmedetomidine to bupivacaine in ultrasound-guided BRSB in cancer patients with a midline laparotomy incision.

Methods:

Sixty adult cancer patients planned for laparotomies with extended midline incision were included. Ultrasound-guided BRSB was performed immediately after the induction of anesthesia.

Patients were classified randomly into two groups; B group, where only bupivacaine was used for BRSB and BD group in whom a mixture of bupivacaine and dexmedetomidine was used.

Results:

A significant decrease in visual analogue scale scores, total morphine consumption, postoperative nausea and vomiting and postoperative cortisol levels was observed in group BD.

Conclusion:

Dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine in US-guided rectus sheath block bilaterally proved to be effective for proper pain management postoperatively in cancer patients after extended midline abdominal incision.

Keywords: Rectus sheath block, Dexmedetomidine, Pain, Regional anesthesia, Midline abdominal incision, Abdominal cancers.
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