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The effectiveness of clonidine as an analgesic in paediatric adenotonsillectomy

E J Reimer1, G S Dunn, C J Montgomery

  • 1Department of Anaesthesia, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. elreimer@interchange.ubc.ca

Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia = Journal Canadien D'Anesthesie
|March 3, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Preoperative oral clonidine effectively manages pain and provides sedation in children undergoing tonsillectomy. This study found clonidine comparable to intravenous fentanyl for pediatric pain relief after surgery.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Pain Management
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy are common pediatric surgical procedures.
  • Effective pain management and sedation are crucial for pediatric surgical recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the analgesic efficacy of preoperative oral clonidine versus intraoperative intravenous fentanyl in children undergoing tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, double-blind study involving 36 children (age 7-12) compared oral clonidine (4 mcg/kg) given preoperatively to intravenous fentanyl (3 mcg/kg) given intraoperatively.
  • Pain scores (VAS), sedation, anxiety, and hemodynamic changes were monitored postoperatively.

Main Results:

  • Clonidine resulted in higher preoperative sedation rates (63%) compared to fentanyl (6%).
  • Visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores were similar between groups throughout the observation period.
  • No significant differences were observed in the need for rescue analgesics (morphine, codeine) or the incidence of side effects.

Conclusions:

  • Preoperative oral clonidine is an effective analgesic and sedative agent for pediatric tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy.
  • Clonidine offers a viable alternative to intraoperative fentanyl for pain management in this patient population.
Abstract

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