Epidural Anesthesia for Gynecological Surgeries

Regional anesthesia is the preferred mode of anesthesia for major abdominal surgeries in present times. Gynecological surgeries are often associated with severe pain requiring a well-planned analgesia regimen to ensure adequate patient-comfort, early mobilization, and to decrease stay time in the hospital/post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) enabling patients to return to their normal activities quicker. Dexmedetomidine has been approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a short-term sedative for mechanically ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients as it has a sedative effect without significant respiratory depression , anxiolytic, analgesic, antihypertensive and sympatholytic properties. Epidural administration of preservative free midazolam induces antinociceptive effects in humans, when midazolam is added it acts through gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA) receptors and enhances the affinity of GABA receptors. Midazolam is involved in the release of endogenous opioids acting on spinal delta receptors so antinociceptive effects of morphine like substances are potentiated when epidural midazolam is added. Studies have revealed that use of epidural midazolam provides effective analgesia in adults. So, the present study will evaluate the additive analgesic effects of epidural midazolam in combination with bupivacaine in elective gynecologic surgeries and compare the results with the use of bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine and observe the quality of epidural anesthesia with occurrence of side effects.