The aim of this study was to determine analgesic. haemodyrtamic and neurologic effects of addition of clonidine on epidural ketarnine for postoperative analgesia. (30) patients were randomized into two groups (n=15), group (1) (25mg) ketamine hydrochloride followed by 150yg clonidine were injected through epidural catheter. In group (2) 25mg ketamine hydrochloride was used.. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded, before epidural injection of test drugs and at 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 and 120 min after epidural then every hour for 12 hours. VAS (which consisted of a 10cm line with 0-eugaling no nausea or vomiting or no pain at all and 10 being worst possible non sea or vomiting or the worst possible pain) was recorded every hour for 10 hours and every 2 hours for 20 hours after recovery of patient. There were significant decrease in heart rate and mean blood pressure at 20 min after epidural injection of drugs in group (I) compared to baseline (before epidural) values, in group (2) heart rate and mean blnnd pressure significantly increased 4 hours after epidural injection of drug compared to baseline (before epidura) values. The mean duration of pain relief (measured by VAS 5 or less) averaged (17.35 + 1.22) hours in group (1). In group (2) epidural ketamine (25 mg) gave analgesia in nearly (6696) of cases with mean duration of pain relief averaged (5.25 + 0.16) hours. Addition of clonidine to epidural ketamine potentiates analgesic effect and prolongs duration of analgesia without deleterious effects on heart rate or mean blood pressure and without respiratory depression, sedation or neurological sequelae |
