Premium
The effect of clonidine on intra‐operative requirements of fentanyl during combined epidural/general anaesthesia
Author(s) -
Murga G.,
Samsó E.,
Valles J.,
Casanovas P.,
Puig M. M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1994.tb04323.x
Subject(s) - medicine , fentanyl , anesthesia , clonidine , midazolam , analgesic , tracheal intubation , general anaesthesia , intubation , placebo , heart rate , surgery , sedation , blood pressure , alternative medicine , pathology , radiology
Summary The study evaluates the analgesic effects of epidural clonidine in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy under combined epidural/general anaesthesia. Forty ASA 1–2 patients were divided into two groups who received epidurally either clonidine 300 μg (group 1) or placebo (group 2). Anaesthesia was maintained with oxygen/nitrous oxide, a midazolam infusion, vecuronium, and boluses of fentanyl 100 μg administered as needed to maintain cardiovascular stability. The mean (SD) intra‐operative fentanyl requirements were 2.05 (0.18) and 3.66 (0.3) μg.kg ‐1 .h ‐1 for groups 1 and 2 respectively (p < 0.001). Patients in Group 1 had a lower heart rate after tracheal intubation and surgical incision (p < 0.02). In the recovery room, pain intensity was lower in group 1 (p < 0.003) and the mean (SD) time until analgesia request was jincreased from 48.5 (8.4) min in group 2 to 235.7 (33.2) min in group 1 (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that epidural clonidine produces decreased fentanyl requirements, improved cardiovascular stability, reduced pain intensity and effective postoperative analgesia in the recovery room.