Clinical evaluation of ropivacaine alone and in combination with fentanyl for spinal anaesthesia in urolithic goats

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the subarachnoid efficacy, analgesic response of ropivacaine alone and ropivacaine plus fentanyl combination on clinicphysiological, haemato-biochemical parameters in 12 urolithic male goats, randomly divided into two groups. Animals of group I (n=6) and II (n=6) were administered subarachnoid ropivacaine (@ 0.6 mg/kg b.wt.) and subarachnoid ropivacaine (0.3 mg/kg) plus fentanyl (0.002 mg/kg) in combination, respectively. In both groupheart rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature; onset of analgesia, extent and depth of analgesia were evaluated with the help of pin prick at tail, perineum, inguinal, thigh, digits/pedal, anterior flank, posterior flank, lower abdomen and thorax region and were recorded before administration of any drug (0 min) and then at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45,60, 75 and 90 min. after administration of drugs. The motor incoordination was also recorded up to 120 min. Anaesthetic indices like, Onset of analgesia; Time to recumbency; Onset of recovery; Duration of analgesia and Time to standing were noted down. Haemato-biochemical parameters like haemoglobin, packed cell volume, blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were estimated. There was no significant difference between the values of HR, RR and RT between the two groups at different time intervals.A complete analgesia was observed in tail, perineum, inguinal, thigh, digits/pedal, anterior flank, posterior flank and lower abdomen region, after administration of drugs in urolithic male goats. However, in the both group analgesia at thorax region was not found complete at any time interval. Motor Incoordination occurred immediately after drug administration and the incoordination was significant even after 120 minutes of drug administrationin both groups. A faster onset of analgesia and time of recumbency was produced by group II animals. However, duration of analgesia and standing time was higher in group I animals. Hb and PCV decreased in both the groups;the base values of BUN and creatinine were very high in animals of both groups, when compared with their physiological values. A decrease in values of BUN and creatinine were observed in animals of both the groups. For longer duration a dose rate of 0.6 mg per kg may be used as it produces a longer duration of analgesia, as compared to the dose rate of 0.3 mg/kg, even if fentanyl is combined.Sub arachnoid administration of ropivacaine alone or ropivacaine-fentanyl combination produces very fast onset of analgesia and recumbency in goats.The hematobiochemical alterations associated with ropivacaine alone and ropivacainefentanyl combination was minimal in urolithic male goats and thus may be used safely in clinical situations in uraemic goats.