Ultrasound & PNS guided popliteal nerve block with or without dexmedetomidine as adjuvant to local anaesthetic agent for various ankle & foot surgeries

Background: Popliteal nerve block provides surgical anaesthesia & perioperative analgesia for foot surgeries. Aims of study: Comparison of both groups for sensorimotor block characteristics, supplementation s & analgesia. Methods: Ultrasonography & PNS guided popliteal nerve block given in 100 adult patients of various ASA grades, undergoing foot and ankle surgeries. The volume of drug. Gr. A: 20 ml of Isobaric Bupivacaine (0.5%) + 2 ml Normal saline (NS). Gr. B: 20 ml Isobaric Bupivacaine 0.5%+ Dexmedetomidine 1 mcg/kg in NS to make 2 ml. Results: In both groups, patients have stable haemodynamic parameters throughout the operation. supplementation of sedoanalgesia was given in 2 patients in the form of Injection Midazolam 1mg IV and Injection Fentanyl 50 micrograms IV. and general anaesthesia was not given in any patients in both groups. Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine is effective adjuvant in popliteal sciatic block for foot& ankle surgeries as it increase time to analgesic request.