Comparison of butorphanol and fentanyl for balanced anaesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgeries under general anaesthesia:A prospective, randomized and double-blind study

Abstract

Back ground: Laparoscopic surgeries have advantages like shorter stay and rapid return to normal activities because of small incision and les pain. Pain is an unpleasant sensation in the post-operative period. Methods: Fifty patients of American society Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade I and II, scheduled to undergo laparoscopic surgery, were randomized into butorphanol group (Group B) (n=25) and fentanyl group (Group F) (n=25). Four minutes before induction of anesthesia, Group B received inj. butorphanol 40 μg/Kg intravenously while Group F received Inj. fentanyl 2 μg/kg intravenously. All patients received general anaesthesia with controlled ventilation. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), end tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2), and oxygen saturation were monitored at different intervals. Results: The demographic data was comparable in both groups (p<0.05). There was a significant difference between the two groups in pulse rate after 12 minutes after intubation that persisted till the 2nd hour of post-operative period. There was no significant difference in DBP till 9 min after intubation, and then onwards significant changes were noted till 4th hour of post-operative period. Butorphanol provided prolonged analgesia when compared to fentanyl. Conclusions: We conclude that butorphanol is a better alternative to fentanyl for use as analgesic in laparoscopic surgeries because of its ability to produce prolonged analgesia, and less post-operative complications.