Abstract Introduction: We designed a double blind randomized controlled trial to comparatively evaluate the efficacy of bupivacaine with two different doses of clonidine for pediatric caudal analgesia in infra umbilical surgeries. Methodology: 90 children, 210 years of age, weight < 20 kg of either sex, belonging to ASA grade I and scheduled for infra umbilical surgeries were taken up for the study. Patients were divided randomly into three groups of 30 each using the computer generated technique Group 1 0.75 ml/ kg of 0.25% bupivacaine and 1µg/ kg of clonidine; Group 2 0.75 ml/kg of 0.25% bupivacaine and 2µg/ kg of clonidine. Group 3: 0.75 ml/ kg of 0.25% bupivacaine. 0.75 ml/ kg of the study drug solution was injected after administration of anaesthesia. Post operative monitoring for heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, SpO2; Post operative analgesia using Modified Objective Pain Score. Post operative sedation score using the Four Point Sedation Score was done at the interval of 0, ½, 1, 2,4,8,12,24 hours. results: Efficacy of Post operative analgesia assessed by MOPS score was found to be better in group 2 followed by group 1 and least in group 3. Also, post operative sedation score was highest in Group 2 as compared to group 1 & 3. Conclusion: We recommend a dose of 1µg/kg clonidine as an adjuvant to 0.25% bupivacaine (0.75ml/kg) for infraumbilical surgeries to significantly prolong postoperative analgesia without causing significant sedation. Increasing the dose of clonidine to 2µg/kg didn’t significantly prolong postoperative analgesia but did produce significant sedation, which might interfere with discharge criteria for day care surgery.
Keywords: Pediatric Caudal Analgesia; Infra Umbilical Surgeries; Clonidine; Bupivacaine.