About this trial
This study will compare three different doses of perineural dexmedetomidine 0.67 mcg/kg, 1 mcg/kg, and 1.33 mcg/kg as adjuvants to local anesthetics for ultrasound-guided infraclavicular brachial plexus blocks (ICBs). Our research hypothesis is that 1.33 mcg/kg will provide a 15%-longer duration than 1mcg/kg, which in turn will provide a 15%-longer duration than 0.67 mcg/kg. Since analgesic duration and sensory duration can be influenced by intake of pain medications and surgical trauma to small cutaneous nerves, respectively, we will select motor block duration as the main outcome to better target the action of dexmedetomidine on the brachial plexus.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
patients undergoing upper limb surgery at or below the elbow
age between 18 and 75 years
American Society of Anesthesiologists classification 1-3
body mass index between 18 and 35 kg/m2
Disqualifiers
adults who are unable to give their own consent
allergy or contraindication to dexmedetomidine
exposure to dexmedetomidine during the previous 48 hrs
pre-existing neuropathy (assessed by history and physical examination)
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- dexmedetomidine (perineural) 0.67 mcg/kg
- dexmedetomidine (perineural) 1 mcg/kg
- dexmedetomidine (perineural) 1.33 mcg/kg