COMPARISON OF EFFICACY OF DEXMEDETOMIDINE AND TRAMADOL FOR PROPHYLACTIC USE IN POST SPINAL ANAESTHESIA SHIVERING. A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

Background: Shivering is one of the most troublesome and distressing experiences for the patient encountered intraoperatively following spinal anaesthesia. Tramadol is very commonly used in clinical practice for post-spinal shivering but has side effects. The study aimed to compare the efficacy of dexmedetomidine with that of tramadol for prophylactic use in post-spinal anaesthesia shivering. Methods: A prospective, randomised controlled study was conducted on 210patients (American Society of Anaesthesiologists class I and II) of either gender, aged between 18 and 65, scheduled for elective lower abdominal and lower limb surgeriesunder spinal anaesthesia. The patients were randomized into three groups of 70 patients each. Group D received dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg in 100 ml NS), Group T received tramadol (0.5 mg/kg in 100 ml NS) and Group C received 100 ml NS. All the drugs were given as an infusion over 10 min.The incidence and severity of shivering were recorded at 0min, 5min, 10min, 15 min and then every 15min till the end of surgery. The data was analyzed using IBMSPSS20 for windows. Results: The present study showed that dexmedetomidine and tramadol effectively prevent post-anaesthesia shivering, though the incidence was significantly less with dexmedetomidine (p value = 0.001). Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine is effective and comparably better than tramadol for prophylaxis of post-spinal anaesthesia. It also provides sedation without respiratory depression.