Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2025

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Success of Ultrasound-Guided Neuraxial Anesthesia in Cases with Difficult Anatomy
Published on: January 31, 2025
A Randomised Controlled Trial to Assess the Analgesic Efficacy of Reduced Dose 0.2% Ropivacaine-Dexmedetomidine
Farah Nasreen1, Manazir Athar1, Atif Khalid1
1Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.
Objective:
Paediatric pain management has remained understated practice over a period of time. Recently ultrasound-guided (USG) guided techniques are gaining popularity for perioperative analgesia, especially in the paediatric population. So, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of reduced dose ropivacaine-dexmedetomidine combination compared to standard 0.375% ropivacaine in USG guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block.
Methods:
Sixty children of either sex, aged 2-10 years, posted for elective open herniotomy under general anaesthesia were randomly divided into two groups of 30 patients each. Group RD received 0.2% ropivacaine with dexmedetomidine 1 mg kg 1 while group R received 0.375% ropivacaine at 0.5mL kg 1. Meantime to first rescue and total analgesics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) and Ramsay sedation score, haemodynamic parameters and adverse effects were noted.
Results:
Time to first rescue analgesia in group RD and group R were 16.32 6 3.11 hours and 10.82 6 2.16 hours, respectively (P < .0001). Mean CHEOPS score were 4.48 6 1.1 and 6.3 6 1.74 (P < .024) in group RD and R. Post-op Ramsay sedation score was significantly greater in group RD. Heart rate and blood pressure remained similar in either of the group. No episode of respiratory depression, bradycardia or hypotension was noted perioperatively.
Conclusion:
Combination of 1 mg kg 1 dexmedetomidine with reduced concentration of ropivacaine (0.2%) produced significantly longer duration of post-operative analgesia and lowered post-operative CHEOPS pain score in comparison with 0.375% ropivacaine alone in USG guided TAP block for paediatric hernia repair.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
One of the advantages of...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia

