bupivacaine + epinephrine + dexamethasone (University of British Columbia)

This multimodal analgesic intervention, developed by the University of British Columbia, is a combination of bupivacaine, epinephrine, and dexamethasone designed to manage postoperative pain in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy. The regimen involves an ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block (RSB) using bupivacaine (a voltage-gated sodium channel blocker) and epinephrine (a vasoconstrictor) to provide regional anesthesia, supplemented by intravenous dexamethasone (a glucocorticoid receptor agonist). Dexamethasone is utilized as an adjunct to prolong the duration of the local anesthetic effect and provide systemic anti-inflammatory benefits. This combination is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 pilot study (NCT06945263) to assess its efficacy in reducing postoperative opioid requirements and improving recovery outcomes compared to standard local anesthetic infiltration.

Other names

RSB + dexRectus Sheath Block and Coadministration of Intravenous Dexamethasonelocal anesthetic-University of British Columbia-postoperative pain