Background and Objective: Among the life threatening effect of local anaesthetics the cardio toxicity of bupivacaine is well known. In pursuit of an alternative, both Ropivacaine and levobupivacaine were developed. Our objective is to compare the efficacy of levobupivacaine & ropivacaine in epidural anaesthesia.
Materials and methods: With the formal institutional ethical committee clearance, 50 male patients due for inguinal hernia mesh repair surgery between April 2013 and August 2013 were studied after randomization. Samples and patients randomized in two groups of 25 where group L received Levobupivacaine and group R received ropivacaine. The onset, duration with highest level of sensory block and degree of motor were recorded and compared.
Observation and results: Onset of sensory block observed was 9.16 ± 1.50 minutes in L group, 9.40 ± 1.42 minutes in R group and lasted till 302.35 ± 40.17 minutes in R and 299.56 ± 42.50 minutes in L groups respectively. The mean dermatome level achieved was T7 in both the groups. Intensity of motor block scored was modified Bromage 2 and 3 in both L group & in R group.
Conclusion: Both 0.5% levobupivacaine and 0.75% ropivacaine produce satisfactory analgesia with a similar efficacy in the onset, duration and quality of motor block.
