The effect of the addition of dexmedetomidine to low dose bupivacaine on the duration of anaesthesia in the caudal block after lower abdominal surgeries

Aim: assessment of the effect of the addition of dexmedetomidine to low dose bupivacaine on the duration of anesthesia in the caudal block after lower abdominal surgeries. Target population: one to 6-year-oldchildren who were class ASA 1 and candidates for lower abdominal surgeries and have been referred to the children hospital of TUMS. Inclusion criteria: class ASA 1 children who were between 1 and 6 years old and were candidates for lower abdominal surgeries and caudal block. Exclusion criteria: developmental delay hx; hemostasis disorders; antiplatelet medication use; sensitivity to the used drugs in the study; local infection in the caudal block site or congenital anomalies; pre-operational need for analgesics. Interventions: two-hundred children were randomly divided into two groups. For all patients, 33 mg/kg bolus infusion of methyl prednisolone was administered in 15 min. For control group, the caudal block was done using 1 mg/kg of bupivacaine+ normal saline (1 cc/kg volume), and in the study group this procedure was performed using 1 mg/kg of bupivacaine + 1 micro/kg of dexmedetomidine (1 cc/kg volume) The pain scale after surgery, the first time that the patients need analgesics and their dose in the first 24 hours, the total amount of analgesics used in 24 hours and the time of voluntary leg movements and urination were assessed.

Tabriz University of Medical Sciences