Efficacy of analgesic effect of low dose intrathecal clonidine as adjuvant to bupivacaine in urogenital surgeries: study in a Kashmiri population

Background: Previous studies have shown that clonidine given intrathecally in higher doses cause side effects. In this study, we used low dose clonidine intrathecally (1 mu g/kg) as adjuvant to bupivacaine to study efficacy of analgesia and side effects. Method: 60 patients were randomly divided into two groups of 30 patients each. They were aged 20 to 60 years, of ASA Class I and II undergoing genitourinary surgeries. The clonidine group (A) received 1 mu g/kg clonidine in addition to bupivacaine 12.5mg (0.5%) and control group (B) received an identical volume of saline mixed with 12.5mg (0.5%) bupivacaine. Efficacy of spinal analgesia was compared between these two groups. Results: Duration of analgesia, motor block, highest level of sensory block and time taken for regression of sensory analgesia by two segments was more in the clonidine group. There was a reduction in heart rate and systolic blood pressure which was statistically insignificant. Side effects like nausea and sedation were insignificant. Conclusion: Addition of low dose clonidine (1 mu g/kg) to bupivacaine increases the duration of spinal analgesia as compared to bupivacaine alone with clinically insignificant influence on haemodynamic parameters and level of sedation.