Impact of Dexamethasone Added To Intra- Articular Morphine and Bupivacaine for Post-Operative Analgesia after Knee Arthroscopy

Abstract

his study was carried out in Ain Shams University Hospital and included 40 patients of both sexes undergoing minor knee arthroscopy operation under general anesthesia The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of adding dexamethasone (8mg) to intra -articular morphine (10mg) and bupivacaine (25mg) injection on postoperative pain after knee arthroscopy. Patients were randomly allocated into two equal groups, (20 patients in each group) according to the medications they had received by intra-articular injection at the end of surgery: Group I (control, M group): 10mg morphine in 5ml normal saline + 10ml of 0.25% bupivacaine (total volume 15 ml) were injected intra- articularly. Group II (study, MD group): 10mg morphine + 8mg dexamethasone completed to 5 ml with normal saline + 10 ml of 0.25 % bupivacaine (total volume of 15ml) were injected intra-articularly. Pain at rest and movement was assessed by VAS at the following post-operative periods: on admission to the post anesthesia care unit when the patient is fully conscious and at 2,