A Comparative Evaluation of Dexmedetomidine and Clonidine as an Adjuvant to Ropivacaine in Epidural Anaesthesia for Intraoperative and Postoperative Sedation and Analgesia

Background - This prospective randomized double blind study was carried out to evaluate and compare the effect of dexmedetomidine and clonidine as an adjuvant to ropivacaine in epidural anaesthesia. Method - Ninety patients (ASA grade I and II), were randomly allocated into three groups of 30 patients in each. Group A (R) received 17 ml of 0.75 % ropivacaine + 2ml saline (control), group B (RD) received dexmedetomidine 1.5g/kg in 2ml+ 17 ml of 0.75 % ropivacaine and group C (RC) received clonidine 2g/kg in 2ml+17 ml of 0.75 % ropivacaine in epidural anaesthesia. All three groups were evaluated in terms of onset of analgesia, duration of analgesia, motor block, sedation and any untoward side effects. Results - Onset of analgesia (sensory block) was earlier in group B (8.132.02 mins) than group A (12.133.37 mins) and group C (9.862.84 mins) (p