nalbuphine + bupivacaine

This is a combination of nalbuphine, a mixed opioid agonist-antagonist, and bupivacaine, a long-acting local anesthetic. It is being investigated by Cairo University as a perineural adjuvant in ultrasound-guided superficial cervical plexus blocks to manage postoperative pain in patients undergoing thyroidectomy. Nalbuphine acts as an agonist at kappa-opioid receptors and an antagonist at mu-opioid receptors, which provides analgesia while potentially limiting mu-mediated side effects. Bupivacaine blocks voltage-gated sodium channels to inhibit nerve conduction. The study aims to determine if adding nalbuphine to bupivacaine prolongs the duration of analgesia and reduces the requirement for rescue analgesics following surgery.

Other names

nalbuphine as an adjuvant to bupivacaine