Abstract

Background: This Study was designed to comparatively evaluate the postoperative
analgesia efficacy of levobupivacaine 0.5% in combination with dexmedetomidine and
fentanyl in wound infiltration technique following open cholecystectomy surgeries.
Methodology: After ethical committee, approval, a double blind randomized controlled
study was conducted on 100 patients, divided into 2 equal groups (n=50) by using
computer generated random number table (considering 5% alpha error of 80% power
of study), ASA grade I & II, 18 to 60 years age scheduled for open cholecystectomy
surgeries over 1year duration. A standard general anaesthetic technique was used and
all patients received wound infiltration at the time of wound closure. Group D received
0.5% Levobupivacaine with injection Dexmedetomidine (1mcg/Kg) and 0.9% normal
saline while Group F received 0.5% Levobupivacaine with injection Fentanyl
(1mcg/Kg) and 0.9% normal saline. Total volume of solution was made 25 ml.
Postoperative rescue analgesia was provided with Injection Tramadol (1mg/Kg) when
VAS score >3. Mean between the 2 groups were compared using independent t-test and
variance between the groups by Chi-square test.
Results: The mean duration of analgesia in group D was (20.95+5.39 hours) when
compared to group F (11.39+3.67 hours) which was highly significant (p=0.000). Group
D patients have excellent quality of analgesia, lower VAS scores and lower rescue
analgesic consumption with minimal side effects.
Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine and Fentanyl were effective adjuvants to
levobupivacaine for single shot wound infiltration technique among which
dexmedetomidine is found superior to fentanyl.