A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF COMPARISON OF EPIDURAL BUPIVACAINE, FENTANYLAND THEIR COMBINATION FOR POSTOPERATIVE ANALGESIA IN LOWER ABDOMINALAND LOWER EXTREMITY SURGERY

Abstract

BACKGROUND Epidural analgesia with local anaesthetics and opioids provide good control of postoperative pain in lower abdominal and lower extremity surgery. AIM To evaluate and compare the analgesic action and adverse effects of epidural bupivacaine, fentanyl and their combination in postoperative period. METHODS 75 patients undergoing elective infraumbilical surgery were allocated in three groups in a randomized double blinded fashion. Postoperative analgesia was maintained with continuous infusion of epidural drug in the following manner: Group B: Injection Bupivacaine 0.125% @ 0.1mL/kg/hr through epidural route; Group F: Injection Fentanyl 4µg/mL @ 0.1mL/kg/hr through epidural route; Group BF: Injection Bupivacaine 0.0625% and Fentanyl 2µ/mL @ 0.1mL/kg/hr through epidural route. RESULTS VAS score were almost similar in all three groups at 00, 04, 08hrs and not clinically significant at that point of time. VAS score showed significant difference at 12, 20 and 24 hrs, being persistently lower in Gr BF than Gr B and Gr F. According to VRS Scale Score at 04 hrs majority of patients of all three groups had mild-to-moderate pain (p=0.278). At 08 hrs, 24% (p=0.082), 12 hrs 60% (<0.001), 16 hrs 68% (<0.001), 20 hrs 88% (<0.001) and 24 hrs 84% (<0.001) of Gr BF patients were pain free which are clinically significant. At the end of 08, 12, 16, 20, 24 postoperative hours, no patients of any groups had residual motor paralysis. Rescue analgesic needed in Gr BF patients were significantly less than other two groups. CONCLUSION Combined bupivacaine and fentanyl infusion through an epidural route provides better analgesia in comparison to bupivacaine and fentanyl alone. Total drug, rescue analgesic requirement and adverse effects are much lower in combined group.