Effect of Intravenous Dexmedetomidine on Duration of Spinal Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Lower Abdominal Surgeries:An Observational Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64252/s5pewe34Keywords:
Intravenous Dexmedetomidine, Spinal Anaesthesia, Subarachnoid Block, Lower Abdominal Surgery, Sensory Block, Motor Block, Alpha-2 Adrenergic Agonist, Postoperative Pain Management, Hemodynamic Stability.Abstract
Intravenous dexmedetomidine, a highly selective α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, is known for its sedative, anxiolytic, and analgesic properties without causing significant respiratory depression. This observational study aimed to evaluate the effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine on the onset and duration of spinal anaesthesia and postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing elective lower abdominal surgeries. A total of 40 patients, aged between 20 and 45 years and classified as ASA I or II, were included and randomly divided into two equal groups. Group D received a loading dose of dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg over 10 minutes) followed by a maintenance infusion (0.5 µg/kg/hr), while Group C received an equivalent volume of normal saline. All patients were administered spinal anaesthesia using hyperbaric bupivacaine. The study evaluated the onset and duration of sensory and motor blockade, hemodynamic stability, and incidence of side effects. Results revealed that patients in Group D had a significantly faster onset and prolonged duration of both sensory and motor blocks compared to Group C. The mean onset time for sensory block in Group D was 1.55 minutes versus 3.6 minutes in Group C, while the duration was 211.5 minutes in Group D and 120.5 minutes in Group C (p<0.0001). Similarly, the motor block onset was 5.5 minutes in Group D versus 7.2 minutes in Group C, with durations of 173.5 and 104.25 minutes, respectively (p<0.0001). Furthermore, dexmedetomidine provided stable hemodynamic parameters and was associated with fewer adverse effects. The findings support the conclusion that intravenous dexmedetomidine is an effective adjuvant to spinal anaesthesia, enhancing both intraoperative anaesthetic quality and postoperative analgesia in lower abdominal surgical procedures.