COMPARISON OF MEPERIDINE AND TRAMADOL IN TREATMENT OF SHIVERING AFTER SPINAL ANESTHESIA

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Shivering after spinal anesthesia is a common and uncomfortable complication that may interfere with monitoring during operation, excess oxygen consumption and lactic acidosis. Meperidine is first line treatment in patients with postoperative shivering. Since meperidine can not be used in all patients, so this study was performed to compare the effect of tramadol with meperidine for treatment of shivering in patients with spinal anesthesia.METHODS: This clinical trial study was performed on 40 patients aged between 22 and 51 years (ASA Class I) with shivering after spinal anesthesia. They were randomly divided into two equal groups. Group one received 0.5mg/kg meperidine IV (N=20) and group two received 0.5mg/kg tramadol IV (N=20). The time to cessation of shivering, respiratory depression, vomiting and nausea during operation and recovery was monitored and recorded and then obtained results were compared.FINDINGS: Response to drugs was similar in two groups and shivering stopped in all the patients. Average recovery time was 80.3 seconds and 114 seconds in meperidine and tramadol groups, respectively (p<0.001). Other findings such as respiratory depression, consciousness, nausea and vomiting did not show any statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that tramadol can be an acceptable alternative to meperidine for treatment of shivering after spinal anesthesia.

Keywords

• meperidine
• tramadol
• spinal anesthesia
• shivering