ABSTRACT : to determine whether the addition of steroid to 0.5% bupivacaine would prolong duration of analgesia after brachial plexus block.

METHODS : A randomized controlled trial of 60 ASA I & II patient taken up for forearm and hand surgery at orthopaedic OT AGMC, after the ethical committee clearance. Patient divided into two groups, group I received 30 ml 0.5% bupivacaine+ 2 ml(8 mg) dexamethasone & group II 30 ml 0.5% bupivacaine+2 ml normal saline. All routine parameter including sensory block, motor block noted upto 24 hours after surgery.Dataanalysed by SPSS21

RESULTS : Onset of sensory block in groupI 11.2 sec, groupII 17.3 sec. onset of motor block 6.5 and 9.4 sec.Duration of sensory block 6.0 and 3.2 hours. Duration of motor block 4.1 and 2.2 hours.No.of rescue analgesia require in groupI 2.4 &groupII 4.8

CONCLUSIONS : several drugs have been tried with bupivacaine for brachial plexus block. Of them dexamethasone is proved to increase analgesic effect. Mean time of onset of sensory, motor block was more in bupivacaine group. Duration of analgesia more in dexamethasone group

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