Effectiveness of 0.25% vs 0.375% Ropivacaine for Incisional Infiltration in Cesarean Delivery with Spinal Anesthesia

Background: Postoperative discomfort subsequent to a caesarean delivery significantly influences the recuperation process and necessitates efficacious therapeutic intervention. Ropivacaine is a local anesthetic used to manage this pain, but there is limited comparison between its 0.25% and 0.375% concentrations.Objective: To evaluate the comparative efficacy of varying dosages of ropivacaine, specifically 0.25% and 0.375% concentrations, as local anesthetic infiltrates during the surgical procedure of Cesarean section incision.Methods: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) encompassed a cohort of 60 patients who underwent cesarean sections utilizing spinal anesthesia at Adam Malik Hospital, Medan, Haji Hospital Medan, Prof. Chairuddin P. Lubis USU Hospital Medan, and Putri Hijau Hospital Medan. The participants were stratified into three distinct groups: ropivacaine 0.25% (n=20), ropivacaine 0.375% (n=20), and a control group (n=20). Pain intensity was quantitatively assessed employing the numerical rating scale (NRS) at intervals of 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. Furthermore, the utilization of supplementary analgesics and the occurrence of adverse effects were meticulously documented. Statistical analysis of the data was conducted utilizing the Kruskal-Wallis test (p<0.05).Results: Both ropivacaine 0.25% and 0.375% groups demonstrated significantly lower NRS pain scores at 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively compared to the control group (p<0.05). Patients receiving ropivacaine infiltration also showed a significantly reduced need for additional analgesics compared to those who did not receive ropivacaine. However, no statistically significant differences in postoperative pain scores or supplemental analgesic requirements were observed between the 0.25% and 0.375% ropivacaine groups (p>0.05).Conclusions: Both 0.25% and 0.375% ropivacaine effectively reduce postoperative pain and the need for additional analgesics compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference between the two ropivacaine concentrations.