THE EFFECT OF CLONIDINE ON INTRAOPERATIVE REQUIREMENTS OF FENTANYL DURING COMBINED EPIDURAL GENERAL ANESTHESIA/

The study evaluates the analgesic effects of epidural clonidine in pat ients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy under combined epidural/genera l anaesthesia. Forty ASA 1-2 patients were divided into two groups who received epidurally either clonidine 300 mu g (group 1) or placebo (g roup 2). Anaesthesia was maintained with oxygen/nitrous oxide, a midaz olam infusion, vecuronium, and boluses of fentanyl 100 mu g administer ed as needed to maintain cardiovascular stability. The mean (SD) intra operative fentanyl requirements were 2.05 (0.18) and 3.66 (0.3) mu g.k g(-1).h(-1) for groups 1 and 2 respectively (p < 0.001). Patients in G roup 1 had a lower heart rate after tracheal intubation and surgical i ncision (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 235.6 (33.2) min in grou p 1 (p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate that epidural clonidine produ ces decreased fentanyul requirements, improved cardiovascular stabilit y, reduced pain intensity and effective postoperative analgesia in the recovery room.