Kang RA, et al. - In this randomised controlled study, researchers compared combined use of intravenous dexamethasone and intravenous dexmedetomidine vs intravenous dexamethasone alone, in terms of time to first rescue analgesic request, in 66 patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery with single-shot interscalene brachial plexus block (ISBPB). Using random assignment, participants received either intravenous 0.9% saline (control), or intravenous dexamethasone 0.11 mg kg⁻¹ (D1 group), or co-administered intravenous dexamethasone 0.11 mg kg⁻¹ and intravenous dexmedetomidine 1.0 μg kg−1 (D2 group). Findings revealed that time to first rescue analgesic request after single-shot ISBPB was significantly prolonged in patients who received co-administered intravenous dexamethasone (0.11 mg kg⁻¹) with dexmedetomidine (1.0 μg kg⁻¹).