ABSTRACT
Background: Inguinal hernia repair is one of the common surgeries performed in general population under spinal anesthesia. Though Spinal anesthesia is relatively safe it has a short duration of action and can’t be used when the surgery is expected to be prolonged. To overcome this drawback various adjuvants are being increasingly used. Spinal anesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric Bupivacaine, along with adjuvants, is routinely administered for lower abdominal surgeries. Intrathecal Nalbuphine added to Bupivacaine (0.5% Hyperbaric) has the potential to provide good intraoperative analgesia & prolongs early post-operative analgesia. Methods: 30 ASA I and II patients of age group 20-65 years, scheduled for inguinal hernia repair were included in this study on the basis of a predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were randomized in two equal groups of 30 each. Group I patients received bupivacaine 0.5% heavy 3.1 ml + intrathecal nalbuphine 0.4 ml (0.4mg) whereas patients in group II received bupivacaine 0.5% heavy 3.1ml + 0.4ml NS. Onset of sensory and motor blockade, duration of analgesia, need for rescue analgesia, hemodynamic parameters and incidence of adverse effects was compared in both the groups. P value less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: Demographic parameters such as gender, height, weight and BMI were found to be comparable in both the groups. Moreover, ASA grades, duration of surgery, Time of onset of sensory and motor blocks were also found to be comparable. Duration of sensory and motor block and duration of postoperative analgesia was found to be significantly more in group I as compared to group II. Hemodynamic parameters and incidence of side effects was found to be comparable in both the groups. Conclusion: Addition of nalbuphine to Bupivacaine in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair under spinal anesthesia is associated with prolonged duration of sensory and motor blockade as well as reduced need for giving rescue analgesia without increase in incidence of side effects.