A Comparative Study of Clonidine Doses with Bupivacaine in Spinal Anaesthesia: Analgesic Efficacy and Side Effect Profile

Background: Spinal anaesthesia is widely acknowledged as a safe and effective method for providing anaesthetic in surgeries involving the infraumbilical region and lower limbs. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of two different doses of intrathecal clonidine as an adjunct to bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia. Methods: This randomized double-blinded study was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology at our tertiary care hospital from February 2023 to June 2024. Seventy patients were divided into: Group I and Group II. Postoperative analgesia was evaluated using the visual analog scale with a 0-10 cm range. The hemodynamic parameters and the number of significant events (bradycardia, hypotension, sedation) were documented and analyzed for comparison. Results: The mean time for the onset of sensory and motor block in group II was less than group I (p0.05). The duration of analgesia was significantly prolonged in Group II. The mean VAS score of Group II was lower at every follow-up in Group II .Minimal side effects observed in both the groups which was non-significant. Conclusion: The administration of spinal anaesthesia utilizing 0.5% bupivacaine heavy combined with 30 mcg of clonidine noted superior efficacy as an adjuvant in achieving an earlier onset of sensory and motor blockade during surgery, as well as extending the duration of effective postoperative analgesia, in comparison to the use of 15 mcg of clonidine.