ABSTRACT
Background: Spinal anaesthesia is an accepted and most convenient anaesthetic technique for lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries. Opioids have been used intrathecally as adjuvant for improvement in quality and extending the duration of spinal block. We conducted this prospective randomised double blind study to compare effects of intrathecal isobaric 0.5% levobupivacaine with fentanyl and isobaric 0.5% ropivacaine with fentanyl in spinal anaesthesia. Methods: After taking approval from institutional ethical committee,80 patients of ASA grade I or II were randomly allocated into two groups.Group I received 3ml of 0.5% isobaric levobupivacaine with 25μg fentanyl and group II received 3 ml of 0.5% isobaric ropivacaine with 25μg fentanyl intrathecally .The level of sensory blockade and motor blockade was assessed. Results: The onset of sensory and motor blockade was earlier in group I as compared to group II . In group I sensory and motor blockade lasted significantly longer than group II. The duration of analgesia and time for rescue analgesia was prolonged in Group I as compared to Group II. Conclusion:Intrathecal 0.5 % isobaric ropivacaine-fentanyl combination provides satisfactory anaesthesia with shorter duration of motor blockade which is a desirable feature for early ambulation favouring day care ambulatory surgeries as compared to intrathecal 0.5% isobaric levobupivacaine-fentanyl combination which can be used in surgeries of longer duration.