• Kalakonas Apostolos, Kotsovolis Georgios, Chalkeidis Omiros, and Triantafyllou Christos.
• Department of Anaesthesiology 424 Teaching Military Hospital Thessaloniki, Periferiaki Odos N. Eukarpia 56421, Greece. apostoloskalakonas@yahoo.com
• Middle East J Anaesthesiol. 2011 Oct 1;21(3):341-5.

BackgroundRopivacaine is commonly used as local anesthetic for postoperative analgesia through an epidural catheter. Data show that several adjuvants influence the analgesic effect of local anesthetic potency.ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to compare fentanyl and clonidine as adjuvants to 1.5 mg ml(-1) ropivacaine in terms of motor blockade, pain relief and side effects.MethodsIn this single center, randomized, clinical trial, 52 patient scheduled for arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were radomly allocated in two groups. At twenty-six patient a solution with ropivacaine 1.5 mg ml(-1) plus fentanyl 2 microg ml(-1) (group F) was administered through patient controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) as postoperative analgesia and ropivacaine 1.5 mg ml(-1) plus clonidine 1 microg ml(-1) (group C) was administered at the remaining twenty-six patients. The VAS score, the Bromage scale and total solution consumption were documented and compared between the two groups for 24 hours after the end of the operation.ResultsThe mean patient control consumption of the solution was higher at group C respect group F (p = 0.007). At the 8th hour after the operation we register a statistical significant difference at the mean VAS score between the two groups (p < 0.05) with clonidine group achieving a higher score. At the 8th and 12th hour clonidine group register a lower Bromage score than fentanyl group (p < 0.005 and p = 0.002).ConclusionRopivacaine 1.5 mg ml(-1) plus fentanyl 2 microg ml(-1) administred through PCEA compared with ropivacaine 1.5 mg ml(-1) plus clonidine 1 microg ml(-1) h guarantee higher quality analgesia after ACL reconstruction.

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