A Randomized Comparative Trial to Study the effect of Preoperative single shot Epidural with Ropivacaine in Lumbar Laminectomy

Abstract

Background: laminectomy surgeries are usually performed in cases of spinal canal stenosis, disc prolapse etc. It has been reported that the use of regional anesthesia techniques in combination to general anaesthesia has shown better heamodynamic stability intraoperatively, better pain scores and reduced intraoperative blood loss. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of fusion technique of combining epidural and general anaesthesia in patients undergoing lumbar laminectomies. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of combined epidural general anesthesia for lumbar laminectomy surgeries with epidural ropivacaine. Materials and Methods: A prospective randomised study was conducted in 100 patients who are scheduled for lumbar laminectomy surgeries belonging to ASA Class I and II age between 40-60 years were randomly allocated into two groups (Group E and Group F) of 50 each. Group E: 12ml of 0.5% Ropivacaine and 50µg fentanyl epidurally. Group F:12ml of Normal Saline and 50µg fentanyl epidurally. The parameters recorded were intraoperative analgesia by heart rate and blood pressure, Rescue analgesia, Blood loss. Results: Intraoperatively requirement of general anesthetics, Heart rate, MBP, Blood loss, is lesser in Group E when compared with Group F. It was observed that longer time to rescue analgesia in group E than in group F. Conclusion: combined epidural general anesthesia with local anesthetic (ropivacaine) with narcotic (fentanyl) is a better technique for anesthetic management of patients posted for lumbar laminectomy. Thus from our study we conclude that combined epidural general anesthesia technique with epidural ropivacaine is a better alternative to general anesthesia providing stable hemodynamics, reducing dose of general anesthetics, less blood loss.