Background: One of the complication during spinal anesthesia is shivering.  It is supposed to increase tissue oxygen demand thereby interfering with patient monitoring.

Aims and Objectives: To compare dexmedetomidine with ketamine in preventing shivering during spinal anesthesia.

Materials and Methods: This prospective randomized controlled study included 80 ASA grade I and II patients of either sex, aged 18–60 years, scheduled for elective lower abdominal and lower limb surgeries, under spinal anesthesia. They were divided randomly into two groups of 40 patients each. Group K received low-dose ketamine (0.25mg/kg) and group D received dexmedetomidine infusion. Along with intraoperative shivering, hemodynamic changes and sedation scores were used as parameters.

Results: Patients in group D had a lower incidence of postspinal anesthesia shivering compared with patients in group K.

Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine infusion was more effective as an anti shivering and sedating agent than low-dose ketamine injection in patients receiving spinal anesthesia.

Keywords: Dexmedetomidine, Ketamine, Shivering, Spinal Anesthesia.

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Dr K.Kalyan Kumar

Post Graduate, Department of Anesthesiology, Chalmeda Anandrao Institute of Medical Sciences

Bommakal Village, Karimnagar District, Telangana State, India