Effects of clonidine as an adjuvant to ropivacaine for brachial plexus block via axillary approach

Abstract

Brachial plexus block is the most popular technique to deal the upper limb surgeries. Clonidine, the prototype drug of this class is one of the most attractive adjuvants agents. It has analgesic and sedative action and also reduces the anaesthetic requirements without any respiratory depression.Therefore clonidine has been studied in this study to analyze it effects as an adjuvant to ropivacaine for axillary block in upper limb surgeries.After taking an informed and written consent, patients of ASA grade I & II were selected from the population admitted for various surgeries done below elbow mainly from orthopedic and plastic surgery departments, MLB Medical College, Jhansi. A total of 100 patients of either sex were included in the study.It was found that the degree of sedation was more in the clonidine group in the post operative period but only during the early post-operative hours which needed no intervention. The 24 hour close monitoring of all the patients participated in the study revealed there was no significant increase in the sedation. It was concluded that the addition of 150 Ilg of inj.clonidine to 40ml (0.75%) inj.Ropivacaine, for brachial plexus block via axillary approach prolongs duration of motor block, sensory block and post-operative analgesia, with acceptable sedation and without an increased incidence of side effects.