A COMPARISON OF POST OPERATIVE ANALGESIC EFFICACY OF BUPIVACAINE FENTANYL COMBINATION VERSUS ROPIVACAINE FENTANYL COMBINATION IN CAUDAL BLOCKADE IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS UNDERGOING INFRAUMBILICAL SURGERY

A total of 80 children of either sex, aged between 1-8 years, belong to ASA grade I and II, scheduled to undergo infra-umbilical surgeries were included in a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind paralleled group study with an aim to compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy between single dose caudal epidural bupivacaine-fentanyl and caudal epidural ropivacaine –fentanyl combination. e children of Group A- ( N=40) received inj bupivacaine (0.125% )+ inj fentanyl (1mcg/Kg /Body wt) with total volume of 1ml/kg and Group B-( n=40) and children received inj. ropivacaine ( 0.125% ) + inj fentanyl (1mcg/Kg /Body wt) with total volume of 1ml/kg after induction of general anaesthesia and endotracheal intubation. Demographic characteristics were comparable. Group A patients had no significant increase of heart rate, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and pain scores compared to Group B patients.e requirement of rescue analgesics in Group B patients were earlier than Group A patients.