Comparison of Spinal Anesthesia Bupivacaine Plus Epinephrine and Spinal Anesthesia Bupivacaine Plus, Fentanyl in the Duration of Anesthesia, Complications, and Hemodynamic Changes

AuthorHassan Ali Hammoden
AuthorSeyed Khalil Pesteheien
AuthorMasoome Maleken
AuthorAfzal Shamsien
AuthorAlireza Montaserien
OrcidSeyed Khalil Pestehei [0000-0002-0538-8898]en
OrcidMasoome Malek [0000-0002-0479-5547]en
Issued Date2025-07-31en
AbstractBackground: Spinal anesthesia is a widely used technique in orthopedic and other surgical procedures due to its safety and effectiveness. Bupivacaine is the most commonly used local anesthetic, but its use alone is limited by the duration and depth of sensory and motor blockade. To enhance anesthetic quality and minimize adverse effects, adjuvants such as epinephrine and fentanyl are often added. Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy, safety, and clinical outcomes of epinephrine versus fentanyl as intrathecal adjuvants to bupivacaine in orthopedic surgeries, focusing on motor block duration, hemodynamics, and postoperative pain control. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 100 patients undergoing femur and tibia surgeries under spinal anesthesia at a tertiary hospital in Iran. Participants were randomized into two groups: One received intrathecal bupivacaine with epinephrine, and the other received bupivacaine with fentanyl. Outcomes compared included the duration of anesthesia, postoperative pain scores, and incidence of complications. Results: The combination of bupivacaine with epinephrine resulted in a significantly longer duration of anesthesia (222.38 ± 17.48 minutes vs. 169.88 ± 15.57 minutes; P = 0.001) and higher rates of complete muscle relaxation (84% vs. 46%; P < 0.001). However, this group showed increased incidences of hypotension (16% vs. 0%; P < 0.001) and bradycardia (10% vs. 0%; P < 0.001). The bupivacaine-fentanyl group reported lower pain scores at all time points (e.g., 1.0 ± 0.0 vs. 1.3 ± 0.73 at 30 minutes; P = 0.005) but had higher pruritus rates (14% vs. 0%; P = 0.001). Conclusions: While bupivacaine combined with epinephrine extends the duration of anesthesia, it is associated with more hemodynamic disturbances. Bupivacaine with fentanyl offers superior postoperative analgesia and a more favorable safety profile, making it a suitable option for spinal anesthesia in lower limb surgery.en
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5812/ans-163729en
KeywordSpinal Anesthesiaen
KeywordBupivacaineen
KeywordFentanylen
KeywordEpinephrineen
KeywordPostoperative Painen
KeywordHemodynamicsen
PublisherBrieflandsen
TitleComparison of Spinal Anesthesia Bupivacaine Plus Epinephrine and Spinal Anesthesia Bupivacaine Plus, Fentanyl in the Duration of Anesthesia, Complications, and Hemodynamic Changesen
TypeResearch Articleen

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