Caudal Ropivacaine with Clonidine as Adjuvant In Infra- Umbilical Pediatric Surgeries for Intra-Operative And Post- Operative Analgesia: An Observational Clinical Study

Background: The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of ropivacaine with clonidine as an adjuvant given via single shot caudal epidural in pediatric patients for intraoperative and postoperative pain relief. Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 children of ASA-I-II, aged 1-6 years scheduled for infra-umbilical surgical procedures were given ropivacaine 0.125% 1 ml/kg + clonidine 1μg/kg as single shot caudal epidural analgesia. Caudal block was performed after the induction of generalanesthesia. Postoperatively patients were observed for analgesia, sedation, hemodynamics, and side effects/complications. Results: All the patients exhibited stable hemodynamics. There was good intraoperative and postoperative analgesia. No patient required intraoperative rescue analgesic. Side effects such as respiratory depression, vomiting, bradycardia, hypotension, residual motor blockade, pruritus were statistically insignificant. Conclusions:Ropivacaine with clonidine has prolonged duration of analgesia after single shot caudal epidural administration. This combination offers some advantages as it does not produce clinically and statistically significant undesirable side effects like respiratory depression, vomiting and bradycardia. So we can use clonidine as adjuvant to ropivacaine in caudal analgesia, in children, as it has a more favorable side effect profile.