Role of Clonidine as adjuvant to intrathecal bupivacaine in patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery: A randomized control study

BACKGROUND: Neuraxial anesthesia greatly expands the anesthesiologist armamentarium, providing alternatives to general anesthesia, especially in the lower abdominal surgeries. Clonidine, an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, has a variety of actions, including potentiation of effects of local anesthetics. This study was undertaken to assess the degree of sensory and motor block and postoperative analgesia provided by low dose (50 mcg) intrathecal clonidine admixed with bupivacaine. AIMS: The aim of this study is to establish efficacy and safety of intrathecal clonidine as adjuvant to bupivacaine. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The type of the study was double-blind randomized trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hundred patients were randomly allocated in two groups, A and B. Group A received bupivacaine 0.5%, 3 ml with placebo (normal saline 0.33 ml) and Group B, bupivacaine 0.5%, 3 ml with clonidine 50 μg (0.33 ml). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 15.0 statistical analysis software. RESULTS: Mean duration of motor block was significantly higher in Group B (280.80 ± 66.88 min) as compared with Group A (183.60 ± 77.06 min). Significant difference in duration of sensory block was noted between Group B (295.20 ± 81.17 min) and Group A (190.80 ± 86.94 min). Duration of postoperative analgesia was significantly higher in Group B as compared to Group A (551.06 ± 133.64 min and 254.80 ± 84.19 min respectively). Mean visual analog scale scores at different time intervals were significantly lower in the study group (except for 4-h time interval), but the control group had better hemodynamic stability as compared with study group. CONCLUSION: The findings in this study suggested that use of clonidine 50 μg added to bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia effectively increased the duration of sensory block, duration of motor block, and duration of analgesia.