Comparison of analgesic effect of lignocaine and lignocaine combined with acetaminophen in intravenous regional anaesthesia. A one year randomized control trial

Abstract

Background ABSTRACT Intravenous regional anesthesia ( IVRA ) is commonly used anaesthetic technique for surgeries of extremities where local anesthetic is deposited intravenously into an exanguinated limb. IVRA was first introduced by August Bier in 1908. IVRA is safe, technically simple, and cost effective compared to general anaesthesia. Objectives: To compare the analgesic efficacy of Lignocaine alone versus combination of Lignocaine with Acetaminophen when used in IVRA as related to the onset of sensory blockade and to note the onset of tourniquet pain. Methodology: This one year hospital based randomized clinical study was conducted from January 2012 to December 2012 in KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Belgaum, on 60 patients, undergoing elective upper limb surgeries. Patients were distributed into two groups of 30 each i.e. Group I ( Lignocaine and Normal saline ) and Group II ( Lignocaine and acetaminophen) . Results Mean weight in group I was 68.9 kg and in group II was 66.4 k. Mean age in group I was 39.6 years and in group II was 36.7 years and mean duration of surgery in v group I was 48.9 minutes and in group II was 52.3 minutes. Both the groups were comparable with respect to weight , age and duration of surgery. Mean duration of onset of sensory blockade in group I was 4.6 minutes and in group II was 1.9 minutes. Mean duration of onset of tourniquet pain in group I was 26.3 and in group II was 27.8 minutes. Conclusion: The results obtained from this study suggest that, the addition of Acetaminophen to Lignocaine in IVRA significantly reduces the onset time of sensory blockade.