2020, Vol. 3, Issue 4, Part C

Objectives: This was a prospective randomized double blind controlled study conducted in patients undergoing orthopaedic lower limb surgery. Both the observer and the patients were blinded to the study drug. This study was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology Trichy SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre during June 2019 to October 2020.

Observation: We compared the efficacy and safety of 100 mg (0.5 ml) of intrathecal magnesium sulphate (group 2) with 25 µg (0.5 ml) of fentanyl (group 1) and 0.5 ml of normal saline as control (group 0), as an adjuvant to hyperbaric bupivacaine for the onset, duration, quality of sensory, motor block and for the duration of post-operative analgesia. Duration of post-operative analgesia was assessed by noting the time to first rescue analgesic, the total 24 hour analgesic requirement and by using VAS score. Ramsay sedation score was used to assess the level of sedation. Hemodynamic parameters were noted. Side effects such as nausea, vomiting, bradycardia, hypotension and respiratory depression were also noted.

Conclusion: The result of present study indicates intrathecal MgSO4 is efficacious as it provides good post-operative analgesia when used as adjuvant to 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine in orthopaedic lower limb surgery.