Haemodynamic and Electrocardiographic Changes Following Epidural Ropivacaine with or without Dexmedetomidine in Black Bengal Goat

The aim of this study to find out the effect of ropivacaine and its combination with dexmedetomidine in goats on systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and electrocardiographic changes. A total of 10 clinically healthy goats of 1-3 years aged and weighing between 10-15 kg were used for the present experiment. All the animals were randomly divided into two groups of five animals each. Ropivacaine (0.75%) @ 1 mg/kgbwt was epidurally administered in the lumbosacral space in group I whereas, the animals of group II were given dexmedetomidine @ 2 μg/ kgbwt in combination with ropivacaine hydrochloride (1 mg/kgbwt). Haemodynamic parameters viz. SAP, DAP and MAP revealed non-significant alterations in group I, whereas, group II showed significant decrease (P<0.05) in SAP and MAP at different intervals of observations. Electrocardiogram revealed bradycardia in group II with prolongation of RR intervals, QT intervals and width of QRS complex, whereas, in group I these changes was variables which of little significance. In conclusion, the ropivacaine in combination with dexmedetomidine was synergistically decreasing the systolic arterial and mean arterial pressure within normal physiological limits and transient changes in ECG. Hence ropivacaine along with dexmedetomidine can be used in cardiovascular compromised animals.