Clinical study to determine the efficacy of clonidine as an adjuvant to intrathecal bupivacaine in patients undergoing cesarean section

Introduction: Spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine is associated with hypotension and inadequate postoperative analgesia. The addition of clonidine as an adjuvant to intrathecal bupivacaine is beneficial in reducing the dose of the local anesthetic and also provides prolonged postoperative analgesia. Methodology: One hundred and five American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Classes 1 and 2 parturient women undergoing elective cesarean section were randomly divided into three groups. Patients in Group C (control) received 2 ml of 0.5% of heavy bupivacaine (10 mg) with 0.5 ml of 0.9% saline to a total volume of 2.5 ml, those in Group H (high dose of bupivacaine) received 2 ml of 0.5% of heavy bupivacaine (10 mg) with 1 μg/kg of clonidine and 0.9% saline to make a total volume of 2.5 ml, and those in Group L (low dose of bupivacaine) received 1.5 ml of 0.5% of heavy bupivacaine (7.5 mg) with 1 μg/kg clonidine and 0.9% saline to make a total volume of 2.5 ml. Patients were observed for onset and duration of sensory and motor block and for postoperative analgesia. Results: Patients who received clonidine as adjuvant had effective prolonged postoperative analgesia (Group H – 480 ± 40 min, Group L – 480 ± 34 min) as compared to control group (180 ± 19 min). Conclusion: The dose of intrathecal bupivacaine 0.5% was effectively reduced to 7.5 mg by adding 1 μg/kg of clonidine as adjuvant in patients undergoing elective cesarean section.