To investigate the effect of intravenous clonidine on morphine requirements in the postoperative period, 20 ASA physical status 1 patients who had undergone spinal surgery were studied.
Clonidine group (10 patients) received clonidine 3 ㎍/kg intravenously 30 min before endotracheal extubation and received morphine infusion through a patient-controlled analgesia device (bakground infusion, morphine 10㎍/kg/hour ; subsequent
dose,
morphine 20㎍/kg on demand : lockout time 10 minutes). The control group (10 patients) received only morphine with same device. At the following times : 30 min, 1, 3, 5 and 24 hour after endotracheal extubation, pain intensity and sedation score
were
evaluated. Also, arterial blood pressure, respiratory rate and any side effects were recorded. There were no significant differences between the clonidine and control groups with respect to postoperative pain. The amount of morphine delivered was
lower
in the clonidine group compared to the control group, but there was no significant difference between clonidine and control groups. The clonidine group was accompanied by sdation and decreased arterial blood pressure 30 min after endotracheal
extubation
There was no significant difference in respiratory rate at any time interval. These results suggest that during the 24 hours following spinal surgery, postoperative morphine requirements could not be reduced significantly by single intravenous
administration of clonidine 3 ㎍/kg.
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