Comparative efficacy of intravenous tramadol and traditional blanket coverage in managing postoperative shivering among post-spinal anesthesia patients

Background & Objective: Shivering after general as well as spinal anesthesia is a common phenomenon. Unmanaged post-anesthetic shivering can worsen postoperative pain and patient’s metabolism. Various techniques including inj. tramadol, body warming, and covering have been evaluated to treat this common complication. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of tramadol administration with patient coverage as therapeutic methods for managing post-anesthesia shivering. Methodology: The study enrolled 60 patients who underwent spinal anesthesia. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A received blanket coverage as treatment for shivering, while Group B received intravenous tramadol. Shivering onset time and duration after treatment were measured. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test/independent t-test determined significance, with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The findings of this study revealed no significant difference in the onset of shivering between patients who received intravenous tramadol and those who were covered by blankets (39.83 ± 13.21 min vs 38.60 ± 13.48 min). However, the duration of shivering after treatment was significantly shorter in patients who received intravenous tramadol compared to those who received blanket, e.g., 20.30 ± 9.62 vs. 34.83 ± 12.53; P < 0.000). Conclusion: In conclusion, intravenous tramadol is more effective than non-pharmacological methods (blankets) in managing shivering. Tramadol treatment resulted in a significantly shorter duration of shivering. Keywords: Postoperative Shivering; Hypothermia; Spinal Anesthesia; Tramadol; Blanket Citation: Hwisa SA, Alnaeli GR, Ajaj ARI, Faraj MM, Almghairbi DSE, Alhuwayj KAO, Mohammed LA. Comparative efficacy of intravenous tramadol and traditional blanket coverage in managing postoperative shivering among post-spinal anesthesia patients. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2024;28(5):922−926; DOI: 10.35975/apic.v28i5.2565 Received: May 28, 2024; Reviewed: June 03, 2024; Accepted: Jun 18, 2024Blanket