The addition of clonidine 2 microg.kg-1 does not enhance the postoperative analgesia of a caudal block using 0.125% bupivacaine and epinephrine 1:200,000 in children: a prospective, double-blind, randomized study.
BACKGROUND
In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, we compared the efficacy of 0.125% bupivacaine and epinephrine 1:200,000 with and without clonidine 2 microg.kg-1 for 'single shot' pediatric caudal analgesia.


METHODS
Thirty ASA I and II children, ages 2-8 years, undergoing outpatient surgical procedures below the umbilicus received 1 ml.kg-1 0.125% bupivacaine with fresh epinephrine 1:200,000 and clonidine 2 microg.kg-1 (group-C) or 1 ml.kg-1 0.125 % bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:200 000 (group-NC). All patients received a standardized general anesthetic (induction with 67% N2O in O2 and sevoflurane followed by isoflurane maintenance). Primary outcome measures were time to first rescue analgesic and number of patients requiring rescue analgesic at 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 h after caudal placement. Secondary outcome measures included: extubation times, Objective Pain Scale (OPS) scores, sedation scores, time in postanesthesia care unit (PACU), discharge time, number of analgesic doses given in 24 h following caudal blockade, and adverse effects (vomiting, hypotension, and bradycardia).


RESULTS
There were no differences in demographics, investigated parameters, or adverse effects between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that the addition of clonidine 2 microg.kg-1 to 0.125% bupivacaine with fresh epinephrine 1:200,000 for caudal analgesia did not significantly delay the time to first rescue analgesic or decrease the overall need for rescue analgesics in children 2-8 years undergoing surgical procedures below the umbilicus.
Wheeler
Melissa
M
Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Memorial Hospital, The Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA. mwheeler@northwestern.edu
Patel
Arti
A
Suresh
Santhanam
S
Roth
Andrew G
AG
Birmingham
Patrick K
PK
Heffner
Corri L
CL
Coté
Charles J
CJ
D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia / Q000009:adverse effects; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D000763:Anesthesia, Caudal; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003000:Clonidine / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004837:Epinephrine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents
D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D003000:Clonidine; D002045:Bupivacaine; D004837:Epinephrine