Use of neuraxial blocks for orthopedic surgery has increased rapidly during the last few decades, with increasing demand for post-operative pain relief and also to decrease the need for intravenous anesthetic drugs during the post-operative period. Various adjuvants are being used with local anesthetics to prolong the duration of intra operative and postoperative analgesia and to minimize the adverse effects of high doses of local anesthetics.[1] The α2adrenergic agonists have both analgesic and sedative properties when used as an adjuvant in regional anesthesia.[2] Dexmedetomidine, a newer and highly selective α2 adrenergic agonist has evolved as a panacea for various applications and procedures in the perioperative and critical care settings.[3] The stable hemodynamics and the decreased oxygen demand due to enhanced sympathoadrenal stability make it a very useful adjuvant.[4] Based on earlier studies, it was found that Dexmedetomidine produces prolonged postoperative analgesia with minimal side-effects when added to Ropivacaine in epidural and caudal anesthesia.[5-8] Since only few studies are available where Dexmedetomidine’s efficacyas an adjuvant to Ropivacaine in epidural anesthesia had been explored.

Dexmedetomidine, Ropivacaine, Spinal Anaesthesia, Orthopaedics Surgery.