The Effects of Different Clonidine Concentrations on Axillary Brachial Plexus Block With 1,5% Lidocaine

The Effects of Different Clonidine Concentrations on Axillary Brachial Plexus Block With 1,5% Lidocaine for Upper Limb Surgery: a Prospective Randomized Study

The purpose of this study is to determine whether different clonidine concentration on axillary brachial plexus block with 1,5% lidocaine for upper limb surgery may influence the sensory and motor block onset time and duration, postoperative analgesia duration, postoperative pain intensity

Brachial plexus blocks are frequently used in surgical procedures involving the upper limb because they facilitate surgical anaesthesia, muscle relaxation and post-operative analgesics.

Various drugs are used to supplement local anaesthetics during brachial plexus block. Many studies in the literature show that clonidine, which is an alpha-2 agonist, prolongs the length of anesthesia and post-operative analgesia.4,5 However, clonidine's side effects-such as hypotension, bradycardia and sedation can limit its use.

There are no studies comparing different clonidine concentrations on the axillary brachial block, so the hypothesis of the present study was that different clonidine concentrations and LA volumes may influence the anaesthesia and analgesia quality on this type of regional block.

Inclusion Criteria:

• both genders,
• over 18 years old,
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 1 to 3

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients with chronic use of analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories drugs,
• pregnant,
• with infection at the puncture site,
• coagulopathies or intolerance to drugs used in the study