Dexmedetomidine is a potent highly selective α-2 adrenergic agonist acts centrally, also possesses synergistic action with local anaesthetics is a commonly used adjuvant for regional and neuraxial blocks, used as anxiolytic, sympatholytic, hypnotic, sedative, and analgesic properties without generating significant respiratory depression. To compare the post-operative analgesia, hemodynamic changes produced by epidural injection ropivacaine (0.2%) against ropivacaine (0.2%) with dexmedetomidine (1mcg/kg) in patients undergoing open abdominal surgeries. This is a randomised double blind controlled trail among 60 patients who were scheduled for elective surgery under general anaesthesia under the department of anaesthesiology, government thoothukudi medical college, thoothukudi. Group r (epidural analgesia with ropivacaine(0.2%)) and group rd (epidural analgesia with ropivacaine(0.2%) and dexmedetomidine (1mcg/kg)). Post-operative analgesia, and hemodynamic changes were compared between the groups. Baseline characteristics such as age, gender, anthropometry and asa status were not significantly different between the groups. Haemodynamic changes were comparable between the groups, except a lower heart rate at initial hour among the group ropivacaine-dexmedetomidine. Compared with the ropivacaine group, group ropivacaine-dexmedetomidine had a significantly earlieronset and complete analgesia, and a significantly higher duration of analgesia. Dexmedetomidine (1mcg/kg) can be combined with ropivacaine (0.2%) in epidural injection among patients undergoing open abdominal surgeries for its good post-operative analgesia, and hemodynamic stability.
