Original Research Article

Background: Ropivacaine and levobupivacaine are local anesthetics with better safety profile as compared to bupivacaine regardless of the route of administration. This study was performed to compare the anesthetic efficacy and safety of three local anesthetic agents, Hyperbaric 0.5 % Bupivacaine, Isobaric 0.75 % Ropivacaine and Isobaric 0.5 % Levobupivacaine, in patients undergoing elective lower abdominal surgeries under spinal anesthesia, using 3ml of each (0.5 % hyperbaric bupivacaine = 15mg, 0.75 % isobaric Ropivacaine 22.5mg, 0.5 % Isobaric Levobupivacaine = 15mg). Materials and Methods: 60 healthy consenting patients meeting our inclusion criteria were selected for the trial. They were randomly allotted into one of three groups of 20 each. The patients were randomized to receive Hyperbaric 0.5 % Bupivacaine, Isobaric 0.75 % Ropivacaine or Isobaric 0.5 % Levobupivacaine respectively intrathecally. Intra-operative hemodynamic parameters, characteristics of sensory and motor nerve block and any adverse effects like such as hypotension, bradycardia, nausea, vomiting and shivering were evaluated. Results: Hyperbaric Bupivacaine had a significantly faster onset of sensory block at T10 as compared to the both the other groups with isobaric solutions. The onset of Bromage1 motor block was similar i