Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research (Dec 2016)

A Randomized Controlled Study of 0.5% Bupivacaine, 0.5% Ropivacaine and 0.75% Ropivacaine for Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block

  • Ranjan R. Venkatesh,
  • Prabhat Kumar,
  • Ramachandran R. Trissur,
  • Sagiev Koshy George

DOI
https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2016/22672.9021
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 12
pp. UC09 – UC12

Abstract

Read online

Introduction: For any surgery in the upper extremity that does not involve the shoulder, a supraclavicular block is preferred, as it is a safe procedure associated with rapid onset and reliable anaesthesia. Although ropivacaine has been extensively studied for epidural anaesthesia, very few reports exist on its use in supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Aim: This study was conducted to investigate and compare the effectiveness of supraclavicular brachial plexus anaesthesia with two different concentrations of ropivacaine (0.5% and 0.75%) and to compare them with the standard 0.5% bupivacaine. Materials and Methods: Ninety patients of age 18 to 60 years belonging to American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) status 1 or 2, admitted to Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences were chosen for the study and were divided into three groups. Group A received 30 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine, group B received 30 ml of 0.5% ropivacaine and group C received 30 ml of 0.75% ropivacaine into the supraclavicular region, by a nerve-stimulator technique. Onset time of each of the drug was recorded both for the sensory and motor block. Duration of sensory and motor block was recorded along with perioperative haemodynamic monitoring. Results: The onset of complete sensory and motor block observed with both ropivacaine groups and bupivacaine was similar (16.85±6.67 min in group A, 17.79±5.03 min in group B and 18.48±6.14 in group C, p>0.05); onset of motor block (21.45±4.45 min in group A, 22.23±4.05 min in group B and 22.33±5.17 in group C, p 0.05). No side effects were recorded in the study. Conclusion: The onset of sensory and motor block was similar in all the three groups. However, when compared to bupivacaine group, recovery of motor functions was faster in both the ropivacaine groups. Patients in all the 3 groups did not experience any adverse effects.

Keywords