Comparison of Clonidine versus Fentanyl as an Adjuvant to Intrathecal Ropivacaine for Infra Umbilical Surgeries

Abstract

The present study compares the efficacy of Clonidine and Fentanyl as an adjuvant to Ropivacaine in spinal anaesthesia in infra-umbilical surgeries in terms of block characteristics, quality of anaesthesia, hemodynamic parameters and complications. Block characteristics includes, onset of sensory and motor blockade, duration of sensory and motor blockade, maximum dermatome level of sensory blockade and the time taken to attain this maximum height. Non-invasive blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation were the hemodynamic parameters compared. Quality of anaesthesia was compared by the sedation scores and time for rescue analgesics. This prospective double blinded randomized study was conducted in 100 patients between ages 18-65 years and ASA I & ASA II status who were undergoing elective infra-umbilical surgeries of duration less than or equal to 120 minutes under spinal anaesthesia. Group RC (n=50) received 30 micrograms of Clonidine to 2.5 ml (18.75 mg) of 0 75% isobaric Ropivacaine& group RF (n=50) received  25 micrograms of Fentanyl to 2.5 ml (18.75 mg) of 0.75% of isobaric Ropivacaine.