COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF EXTRADURAL CLONIDINE WITH THOSE OF MORPHINE ON POSTOPERATIVE PAIN, STRESS RESPONSES, CARDIOPULMONARY FUNCTION AND MOTOR AND SENSORY BLOCK

We have examined the effects of extradural clonidine 150 μg or morphine 4 mg on postoperative pain, stress responses, cardiopulmonary function and motor and sensory block in a double-blind, randomized study in 20 patients undergoing hysterectomy with general anaesthesia. Observations were made for 6h after each patient's first request for analgesia. Clonidine provided greater pain relief than morphine only for the first 2 h of observation ( P P P 1 ), motor function or sensory analgesia to touch, temperature and pinprick in both groups. Additional systemic opioids were required by five and six patients in the clonidine and morphine groups, respectively.