DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i05.035

Pages: 1965-1974

The study was carried out on 60 paediatric patients of either sex with age group between 2-8 years belonging to ASA grade I & II scheduled for elective infra-umbilical surgeries. The patients were randomly divided into two groups according to the drug administered. Group L (n=30, control) – 1ml/kg of levobupivacaine hydrochloride 0.25% and 0.5 ml of normal saline injected through the caudal route. Group LC (n=50) - 1 ml/kg of levobupivacaine hydrochloride 0.25% with 1 µg/kg clonidine (made up to 0.5ml in normal saline) injected through the caudal route. After induction of anesthesia and caudal block, patients were observed during the intraoperative and postoperative period for duration of analgesia, duration of motor blockade, post- operative FLACC scores, and hemodynamic and respiratory parameters. Any side effects or complications were recorded, if present.In our study the mean (±SD) duration of analgesia was significantly prolonged in group LC (503.66±89.53) min compared to group L (237.66±49.59) min. The Mean (±SD) FLACC scores which were compared between two groups in the postoperative period showed higher values in Group L as compared to Group LC. The mean (±SD) FLACC score at the time of rescue analgesia was found to be higher in group L (4.16±0.69) compared to group LC (3.16±0.74) which was significantly lower. The mean duration of motor blockade was 106.83±27.80 min for Group L and 99.33±30.27 min for Group LC which were comparable statistically (p>0.05) and the mean(±SD) Modified Bromage scores in the postoperative period were found to be comparable in both groups(p>0.05).The mean pre-induction heart rates were 122.06±11.93 in group L and 122.80 ±16.23 for Group LC.