Hemiarthroplasty in high risk elderly patient under epidural anesthesia with 0.75% ropivacaine-fentanyl versus 0.5% bupivacaine-fentanyl: Clinical trial.

BACKGROUND

Anesthetic management of elderly patients is a challenge as aging makes them more susceptible to hemodynamic fluctuations during regional anesthesia. This study was aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of epidural 0.75% ropivacaine fentanyl (RF)- with 0.5% bupivacaine-fentanyl (BF) for hemiarthroplasty in high-risk elderly patients.

METHODS

Sixty elderly consented patients of either sex with American Society of Anesthesiologist ASA II and III, scheduled for elective hemiarthroplasty were randomized into two Groups of 30 patients to receive epidural study solution of 15 mL of 0.75% Ropivacaine or 0.5% Bupivacaine with 1 mL fentanyl (50 μg). The hemodynamic variability with onset and duration of sensory and motor blocks were recorded. The adequacy and quality of surgical anesthesia were assessed. The post-epidural nausea and vomiting, shivering, respiratory parameters, or any other side effects were also recorded.

RESULTS

There was no difference in the demographic profile between groups. The mean onset time to achieve sensory block to the T10 dermatome was rapid in the Group BF (12.4±6.9 vs. 17.5±3.7 min in Group RF). The mean time to achieve motor block was 17.5±3.4 min in Group BF versus 21.7±7.8 min in Group RF. The intraoperative hemodynamic fluctuations showed statistically significant differences between groups. The pruritis was observed in five patients but post-epidural shivering, nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression, or urinary retention were not observed in any patient.

CONCLUSION

Epidural 0.75% Ropivacaine with fentanyl showed better clinical profile as compared to 0.5% Bupivacaine with fentanyl for hemiarthroplasty in elderly patients.