A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN 0.125% LEVOBUPIVACAINE WITH CLONIDINE AND 0.125% LEVOBUPIVACAINE ALONE IN EPIDURAL ANALGESIA FOR POST OPERATIVE PAIN RELIEF IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING LOWER LIMB SURGERIES

Abstract

Background: Epidural anaesthesia is a safe alternative for general anaesthesia and can be
supplemented with spinal or general anaesthesia for postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing
lower limb surgeries. Thisstudy was conducted to evaluate the effect of clonidine as an adjuvant
to levobupivacaine, an S (-) enantiomer of bupivacaine. Material And Methods: Fifty-two
patients of ASA grade I and II undergoing lower limb surgeries were randomized in two groups
as L and LC. Group L received 0.125% levobupivacaine (10 ml) and group LC received 0.125%
levobupivacaine (9 ml) with clonidine 1 ml (2µg/kg). Epidural top up given at the time of skin
closure at the end of surgery and duration of postoperative analgesia, VAS score, time of rescue
analgesics were observed in both the groups. The haemodynamic variables such as heart rate,
systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate and SPO2 at various time intervals were
measured. Any untoward side effects were noted in both groups.