Introduction: The use of interscalene block as the primary anaesthetic technique avoids the complication associated with general anaesthesia. the present study is undertaken to study the effect of adding Dexamethasone as adjuvant to Ropivacaine. Aims: Aim is to study the comparison between ropivacaine and ropivacaine with dexamethasone in ultrasound guided brachial plexus block. Materials and methods: The present study was undertaken at Gandhi hospital, Secunderabad during the period of March 2019 to October 2019. The patients were randomised into 2 groups with 30 patients in each group. Group R – 30 ml of Ropivacaine 0.5% + 2ml Normal Saline and Group RD – 30 ml of Ropivacaine 0.5% + 2ml (8mg) dexamethasone. Results: Block was
successful in 90% patients in Ropivacaine group and 93.3% in Ropivacaine + Dexamethasone. The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.640). There were no statistically significant differences in demographic profile of patients in either group in terms of age, body weight, or gender ratio (p >0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in patients posted for surgery in either group (P value – 0.726). There was no significant difference between 2 groups in terms of ASA grading (p = 1.000). Duration of sensory block, motor block in Ropivacaine group and Ropivacaine + Dexamethasone group is highly significant (p < 0.001). Duration of analgesia in Ropivacaine group was 628.88 ± 65.11 min whereas in Ropivacaine + Dexamethasone
it is 1051 ± 61.36 min, which is statistically highly significant (p < 0.001). The hemodynamic parameters were statistically insignificant in both the groups since (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Addition of Dexamethasone to 0.5% Ropivacaine for interscalene brachial plexus block increases duration of sensory block, motor block as well as duration of analgesia.