Effects of prophylactic intravenous injection of butorphanol on shivering during epidural anesthesia in patients

Objective To study whether intravenous injection with butorphanol can prevent shivering under epidural anesthesia.Methods A total of 60 elderly patients operated on lower abdomen,lower limb under epidural anesthesia were randomly divided into three groups: group B(n=20),group Q(n=20) and the control group(group C,n=20).The patients in group B were injected intravenously with butorphanol 1mg;in group Q,tramadol 100mg 5 minutes before epidural anesthesia;and those in group C were not given either of the above two drugs.All the patients were observed to find out the rate and degree of shivering and the changes of temperature before and after shivering in the course of anesthesia and operation.Results The rates of shivering in both group B and group Q were 5 percent,and in group C were 35 percent,respectively.There was significant difference between group C and group B or group Q(P0.05).Conclusions Intravenous injection with butorphanol could help to prevent shivering under epidural anesthesia.