Does oral clonidine have an effect on pain control after laparoscopic cholecystectomy? A double-blind randomized clinical trial study

Postoperative pain is an unpleasant experience. This process causes physiological disorders in all systems of the body. Clonidine as an alpha dual agonist is one of the drugs used to control pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate the effect of oral clonidine on pain control and opioid use after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

In this randomized double-blind clinical trial study, 50 patients with class I and II anesthesia underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Patients were randomly divided into oral and control clonidine groups. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure and intraoperative heart rate were recorded. Pain was measured in recovery, 6, 12 and 24 hours after surgery. Postoperative drug use was recorded in both groups. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 21 and using descriptive and inferential statistical tests.

The studied groups are similar in terms of demographic variables of age, weight, height, body mass index and gender. The results of chi-square test showed that there was a significant difference between clonidine and control groups in terms of pain at zero, 6 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours. (P<0.001). The results of chi-square test showed that there was a significant difference between the control and clonidine groups in receiving pethidine.

The results of the present study showed that oral clonidine is more effective in controlling pain intensity and drug use than the control group. Oral clonidine laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgery seems to be effective in controlling pain and postoperative drug use.