Effect of Verapamil as an Adjuvant to Levobupivacaine in Supraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block.

BACKGROUND: Many adjuvants have been used with local anesthetics to reduce the time of onset and prolong the duration of analgesia in brachial plexus blocks. However, few studies are there using verapamil as an adjuvant with levobupivacaine.

AIMS: This study aims to study the effects of verapamil as adjuvant to levobupivacaine in supraclavicular block for upper extremity surgery.

METHODS: In this double-blinded clinical trial, 60 American Society of Anesthesiologist Class I and II patients posted to undergo upper extremity surgery were divided into 2 different groups randomly. In Group A, the patients received 30 ml levobupivacaine 0.5% plus 2 ml normal saline and Group B patients received 30 ml levobupivacaine 0.5% plus 5 mg verapamil diluted to 2 ml normal saline for supraclavicular block. Time of request for rescue analgesia, onset and duration of sensory motor blocks and changes in hemodynamic parameters were studied and analyzed. P < 0.001 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Time for a request for rescue analgesia was 425.80 ± 90.46 min in Group B and 366.13 ± 70.42 min in Group A which was clinically significant. The mean of sensory and motor block onset time in Group B was less than in Group A, the difference between the two groups being statistically significant ( P < 0.001). In Group A, mean duration of sensory block was 316.13 ± 91.08 min and in Group B was 375.83 ± 114.48 min, which was statistically significant ( P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The addition of verapamil as an adjuvant to levobupivacaine in brachial plexus blockade delayed the requirement of rescue analgesia with decreased onset time and prolonged duration of sensory and motor block characteristics.