Investing the effectiveness of adding 5% dextrose water to bupivacaine in the blockade of the brachial plexus in hand and forearm surgeries

One of disadvantages of axillary block is a long time gap between the performing the block and the appearance of the anesthesia required for surgery. This study aimed to to examine the effectiveness of adding 0.5% dextrose water (DW) to bupivacaine in brachial plexus block under the guide of a nerve stimulator and ultrasonography in hand and forearm surgeries.
A total of 60 candidates for an axillary block were studied. In both groups bupivacaine 0.5% was used to achieve anesthesia with 0.9% normal saline (NS) in the first group and 0.5% DW in the second group as solvents. Sensory and motor blocks were documented after local anesthesia every 5 minutes within the first 30 minutes, every 10 minutes within the second 30 minutes, and every 15 minutes thereafter.
The time interval between the drug injection and anesthesia between the two groups was different statistically only for the median nerve (p=0.03), whereas the difference for the remaining nerves was not significant.
In the present study adding 5% DW was only effective in the sensory block of the median nerve, with no significant difference with NS for the other nerves.