Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: Early anesthesia recovery is preferred due to the rise in the number of procedures performed in daycare facilities. The present study was conducted to assess nalbuphine and fentanyl as adjuvants to bupivacaine in unilateral spinal anaesthesia in patients undergoing lower limb orthopaedic surgeries. Materials & Methods: 70 patients scheduled for lower limb, knee or below knee orthopaedic surgeries were divided into 2 groups of 35 each. Group I received 1.4 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine heavy + 0.4 ml of nalbuphine (0.8 mg) and group II received same volume of bupivacaine with 20µg of fentanyl. Results: ASA grade I was seen in 20 in group I and 22 in group II and ASA grade II was seen in 15 in group and 13 in group II. The sensory onset (T12) was 2.71 minutes in group I and 2.94 minutes in group II, TT10 was 4.31 minutes in group I and 4.75 minutes in group II, TPeak motor was 5.31 minutes in group I and 5.92 minutes in group II, duration of motor block (III) (mins) was 129.3 and 126.4, time to regression to L2 (mins) was 170.3 and 178.2, duration of analgesia was 254.3 minutes and 260.1 minutes in group I and II respectively. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Due to its accessibility, nalbuphine can be utilized as a reliable substitute for fentanyl as an adjuvant in unilateral spinal anesthesia.