Clonidine as an adjuvant for lidocaine in axillary brachial plexus block in patients with chronic renal failure

• Published in: Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica 2005-04, Vol.49 (4), p.563-568
• Main Authors: Adnan, T., Elif, A. A., Ayşe, K., Gülnaz, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adjuvants, Anesthesia; Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; Aged; Anastomosis, Surgical; Anesthetics, Local; Axillary block; Blood Gas Analysis; Brachial Plexus; chronic renal failure; Clonidine; Conscious Sedation; Double-Blind Method; Female; Hemodynamics - drug effects; Humans; Kidney Failure, Chronic - complications; Lidocaine; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Block; Oxygen - blood; Prospective Studies
• ISSN: 0001-5172; 1399-6576
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2005.00631.x

Background:  Clonidine is often used as an adjuvant for local anaesthetics in regional anaesthesia; however, its effects on axillary block in chronic renal failure patients have not been investigated. These effects were the focus of this study. Methods:  Twenty‐eight adult chronic renal failure patients (ASA physical status III) scheduled for arteriovenous fistula construction were studied in a prospective, randomized, double‐blind, controlled design. All axillary block procedures were performed by the same anaesthesiologist using the nerve stimulator technique. The control group received 40 ml of lidocaine (10 mg ml−1) combined with 1 ml of saline, and the clonidine group received 40 ml of lidocaine (10 mg ml−1) mixed with 150 µg of clonidine. Characteristics of the patients and the blocks were recorded, in addition to data on the nerves stimulated, intraoperative haemodynamic parameters, and sedative and analgesic requirements. Results:  The onset time for sensory blockade was longer in the clonidine group than in the controls (P = 0.013), and both motor and sensory blocks lasted longer in the clonidine group (P = 0.004, P