Comparison of Intrathecal Bupivacaine With or Without Clonidine for Perioperative Analgesia in Lower Limb Orthopedics Surgeries

Abstract

Background: The newer adjutants for spinal anaesthesia (SA) have seen numerous modifications over the last two decades. Various doses of clonidine have been tried in past but optimal dose which balances the ill effects has to be discovered. Therefore, this study was designed to study the effect of clonidine as an adjuvant in SA in terms of duration and complication.
 Methods: Two groups I and II ( with 60 patients each) received either 3.0 ml of Bupivacaine 0.5% heavy + 0.5 ml of normal saline and 2.5 ml of bupivacaine 0.5% heavy + 0.5 ml (75µg) of preservative free clonidine respectively. Various haemodynamic parameters and complication were recorded at baseline than 30 min, 1,2,4,6 and 8 hours after SA.
 Results: Group II shows that addition of clonidine had altered the heart rate and blood pressure significantly for initial two hour duration(p<0.05). No difference in the onset of sensory and motor blockade in both groups. Majority of patients in both group had level of sensory block upto T7 level. Mean VAS score was significantly lower in group II (p<0.001). Group II has prolonged duration of motor blockade (p< 0.00l). The difference in mean duration of analgesia among both the groups was significant indicating that addition of clonidine prolongs the duration of analgesia (p<0.0001). In group II incidence of hypotension and bradycardia is more as compared to group I.
 Conclusion: Intrathecal clonidine in the dose of 75 µg along with bupivacaine 0.5% heavy prolonged postoperative analgesia and motor blockade. It produces sedation in which patients were asleep and easily arousal and haemodynamic changes which could be easily managed.
 Keywords: Intrathecal, Bupivacaine, Clonidine, Orthopedics surgeries, VAS score