Abstract

Introduction: Patients who receive epidural opioids have fewer respiratory issues and can be deployed sooner in the postoperative phase than those who get standard, intermittent IV/IM dosing.The present study was done to compare the postoperative analgesia between tramadol and Buprenorphine through an epidural technique in patients undergoing lower abdominal surgeries, along with their onset, duration of analgesia, and side effects.
Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective comparative randomized studyOur study comprised 60 patients who came in for elective lower abdomen surgery and were randomly divided into two groups of 50 individuals each..Group T received 50 mg of Inj.Tramadol hydrochloride and Group B received 100 micrograms of Inj.Buprenorphine hydrochloride through epidural route (epidural catheterization done).Both groups of patients were monitored for 24 hours after surgery. In the postoperative phase, the VAS(VISUAL ANALOG SCORE) score for pain severity, onset and duration of analgesia, and side effects was monitored.
ResultsThe onset of analgesia in Group T was quicker, but the duration of analgesia was shorter than in Group B. Group T had a mean onset of analgesia of 9.65±4.25 minutes, whereas Group B had a mean onset of 14.85± 4.75 minutes. The mean duration of postoperative analgesia in Group T was 345.12±78.65minutes, while it was 595.45±88.42minutes in Group B, with a P-value of 0.02which was significant. Throughout the study, all of the patients were hemodynamically stable, and no severe side effects such as respiratory depression were detected. However, Group B had a higher incidence of nausea, vomiting, and pruritus than Group T.
Conclusion: At the end of the study, It was observed that epidural Buprenorphine gives a substantially longer and higher quality of analgesia than epidural TramadolNausea, vomiting, and pruritus were the most common adverse effects associated with injectable buprenorphine, which may be alleviated by antiemetics and antihistaminics, respectively.