Effects of Ultrasound-Guided Supraclavicular Block Using Bupivacaine-Dexmedetomidine or Bupivacaine Alone in Hemodynamics of Patients Undergoing Upper Limb Orthopedic Surgery

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine in comparison with bupivacaine during supraclavicular block with ultrasound guide on the hemodynamics of patients undergoing upper limb orthopedic surgery. Eighty patients (40 patients in each group) who were candidates for upper limb orthopedic surgery randomly received 30 ml of bupivacaine alone (group 1) or 30 ml of bupivacaine with 20 μg of dexmedetomidine (group 2). The supraclavicular nerve block was performed using an ultrasound guide. Patients' hemodynamic data (including mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate per minute, respiration rate per minute, and peripheral blood oxygen saturation), the onset of action, and duration of sensory-motor block were compared between the two groups. The mean arterial blood pressure during surgery in group 2 was lower than in group 1, but the differences were not statistically significant. The onset of sensory and motor block in group 2 was significantly shorter than in group 1 (P=0.0001). The duration of sensory and motor block in group 2 was significantly longer than in group 1 (P=0.0001). During this study, none of the patients had hemodynamic disturbance or surgical complications. The addition of dexmedetomidine to bupivacaine during the supraclavicular block, in addition to hemodynamic stability of the patient during surgery, increases the duration of sensory and motor block.