title: Evaluation of bupivacaine-clonidine combination for unilateral spinal anesthesia in lower limb below-knee orthopedic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purposes of this study were to evaluate the onset, quality and duration of sensory and motor blockade between hyperbaric bupivacaine and clonidine combination with bupivacaine alone when administered intrathecally for unilateral spinal anesthesia in below-knee orthopedic surgery, efficacy of clonidine for post-operative analgesia and side-effects of clonidine, if any.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty ASA I and ASA II patients scheduled for elective surgery with time duration up to 90 min were studied. Patients were randomised in two equal groups by the lottery method. Group A (control group) was given Inj. bupivacaine (hyperbaric) 0.5% - 12.5 mg (2.5 ml) + 0.5 ml of normal saline intrathecally. Group B (clonidine group) was given Inj. bupivacaine (hyperbaric) 0.5% - 12.5 mg (2.5 ml) + 50 mcg clonidine in 0.5 ml volume intrathecally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean peak sensory block was earlier in Group B (4.7±1.23 min) as compared with Group A (6.27±1.51 min). The mean peak motor block was earlier in Group B (6.17±1.20 min) as compared with Group A (8.63±1.71 min). The two-segment regression of sensory block was longer in Group B (106.23±9.17 min) as compared with Group A (104.43±17.75 min), which is clinically significant. Requirement of rescue analgesia was considerably prolonged in Group B (450.33±95.10 min) as compared with Group A (220±36.36 min), which was also clinically highly significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrathecal clonidine potentiates bupivacaine induced spinal sensory block and, motor block and reduces the analgesic requirement in the early post-operative period in unilateral spinal anesthesia for lower limb below knee surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Pad. Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, Maharastra, India.
authors.forename: Manisha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sapate
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Pad. Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, Maharastra, India.
authors.forename: Preety
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sahu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Pad. Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, Maharastra, India.
authors.forename: Bhavini
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Pad. Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, Maharastra, India.
authors.forename: Chhaya
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suryawanshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Pad. Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, Maharastra, India.
authors.forename: Anitha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Pad. Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune, Maharastra, India.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Panditrao
keywords: Below-knee surgery; bupivacaine; clonidine; intrathecal