COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF PRE EMPTIVE ANALGESIA USING EPIDURAL KETAMINE AND BUPIVACAINE FOR POST OPERATIVE ANLGESIA IN ABDOMINAL HYSTERECTOMY

This study was carried out to compare the duration and the quality of post-operative analgesia using preemptive epidural Ketamine hydrochloride and Burpivacaine hydrochloride in elective abdominal hysterectomy. In a prospective randomized double blind trial, 40 patients, 34-60 yrs, ASA1&11, posted for elective abdominal hysterectomy received either epidural Bupivacaine10 ml of 0.25% solution or epidural Ketamine 0.5mg/kg in 10 ml normal saline as preemptive analgesia at T12- L1 space followed by general anaesthesia. Duration of postoperative analgesia, pain scores, frequency of analgesic doses after the rst dose and complications if any were assessed perioperatively. Statistical analysis was done with Chi square test for qualitative data, Student T test for quantitative data, Paired T test for effectiveness before and after treatment and Z test for proportion for difference in percentage. The duration of postoperative analgesia was signicantly high with Bupivacaine. It was also found superior in reducing postoperative pain at rest & on movement. No signicant difference was noted in the frequency of analgesic doses after the rst dose of rescue analgesic and in the incidence of complications