A study comparing the effectiveness of two medicines, dexmedetomidine and dexamethasone, in reducing pain after lower limb surgery when used with a local anaesthetic nerve block

INTERVENTION: Intervention1: Dexmedetomidine for postoperative analgesia along with local anaesthetic: After the procedure, under all aseptic precautions and ultrasound guidance, an anterior approach sciatic nerve block will be performed once the spinal level recedes to T12 level using a high‐frequency linear/curvilinear probe for post operative pain management. Group Dexmedetomidine will receive 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine + dexmedetomidine 1ug/kg. Once the patient is shifted in Post Anaesthesia Care Unit, pain will be assessed using Visual analogue scale (VAS) 0 to 10 where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst possible pain at 0, 3, 6, 9,12, 18 and 24 hours after surgery. Control Intervention1: Dexamethasone for postoperative analgesia along with local anaesthetic: After the procedure, under all aseptic precautions and ultrasound guidance, an anterior approach sciatic nerve block will be performed once the spinal level recedes to T12 level using a high‐frequency linear/curvilinear probe for post operative pain management. Group Dexamethasone will receive 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine + dexamethasone 0.1mg/kg. Once the patient is shifted in Post Anaesthesia Care Unit, pain will be assessed using Visual analogue scale (VAS) 0 to 10 where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst possible pain at 0, 3, 6, 9,12, 18 and 24 hours after surgery. CONDITION: Health Condition 1: S828‐ Other fractures of lower leg PRIMARY OUTCOME: Efficacy of Postoperative analgesia with local anaesthetic measured by VAS scoreTimepoint: Pain is assessed using the VAS score at 0,3,6,9,12,18 and 24 hours after surgery SECONDARY OUTCOME: Time to first rescue analgesia and hemodynamic parameters, and side effects like nausea, vomiting, bradycardia, sedation, and motor blockade will be notedTimepoint: At 0,3,6,9,12,18 and 24 hours after surgery INCLUSION CRITERIA: All patients belonging to the ASA I and II category scheduled to undergo elective lower limb below‐knee surgery under regional anaesthesia