The aim of this study was to determine analgesic, haemodynarnic and neurologic effects of addition of clontdine on epidural ketaminefor postop-erative analgesia. (30) patients were randomized into two groups (a—15),
group (I) (25mg) ketamine hydrochloride followed by 150gg clonidine were injected through epidural catheter. In group (2) 25mg ketarnine hy-drochloride was used. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded, be-
fore epidural irüection 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- 1 Ocm line with O-euqaling no nausea or vomiting or no pain at all and 10 being worst possible nausea or vomiting or the worst possi-ble 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 früection of drugs in group (1) compared to baseline (before epidural) values, in group (2) heart rate and mean blood pressure significantly increased 4 hours after
epidural iTüection 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 ketarnine (25 mg) gave analgesia in nearly (66%) of cases with mean duration of pain relief averaged (5.25 + 0.16) hours. Addiäon 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 res-piratory depression, sedation or neurological sequelae. |
