Efficacy of dexmedetomidine for foraminal endoscopic surgery

Xinyu XING; Yang SONG; Jing SHEN

ABSTRACT

Objectives:

To investigate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine for foraminal endoscopic surgery.

Methods:

A total of 75 patients with lumbar disc herniation who received treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University between September 2020 and May 2021 were included in this study. Using a case-control study method, these patients were divided into three groups according to different treatment methods, with 25 patients in each group. The three groups underwent a single-segment unilateral approach for foraminal endoscopic surgery. Group A received simple process infiltration anesthesia, while Group B and Group C received a pump injection of 0.5 μg/kg/h dexmedetomidine for 20 minutes prior to surgery. Group B underwent post-surgical anesthesia adjustments, which involved joint process infiltration anesthesia that was seamlessly integrated with a pump-administered dexmedetomidine infusion at a rate of 0.4 μg/kg/h throughout the surgical procedure. Group C received joint process infiltration anesthesia that was seamlessly integrated with a pump-administered dexmedetomidine infusion at a rate of 0.6 μg/kg/h throughout the surgical procedure. Vital signs, sedation status, sedation score, length of hospital stay, pain score (VAS) immediately after surgery, pain scores at 3 and 6 hours after surgery, and changes in vital signs at different points during surgery were compared among the three groups.

Results:

There were no significant differences in age, sex, or surgical segment among the three groups (all P > 0.05). The postoperative length of hospital stay in Groups A, B, and C was (5.12 ± 1.15) days, (3.02 ± 0.42) days, and (3.82 ± 0.54) days, respectively ( F = 32.04, P < 0.01). At the beginning of surgery, the sedation scores in Groups A, B, and C were (1.22 ± 0.29) points, (1.28 ± 0.36) points, and (1.46 ± 0.38) points, respectively ( F = 3.28, P < 0.05). At 30 minutes after surgery, the sedation scores in the three groups were (2.12 ± 0.22) points, (2.16 ± 0.24) points, and (2.20 ± 0.24) points, respectively ( F = 3.72, P < 0.01). Immediately after surgery, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores in the three groups were (3.52 ± 0.33) points, (2.92 ± 0.55) points, and (2.82 ± 0.54) points, respectively ( F = 15.16, P < 0.01). At 3 hours after surgery, the VAS scores in the three groups were (3.64 ± 0.39) points, (2.60 ± 0.58) points, and (2.74 ± 0.54) points ( F = 30.47, P < 0.01). At 6 hours after surgery, the VAS scores in the three groups were (3.78 ± 0.43) points, (2.52 ± 0.47) points, and (2.74 ± 0.52) points, respectively ( F = 49.90, P < 0.01). There were significant differences in VAS score, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure among the three groups during articular process puncture, cannula expansion of the intervertebral foramen, and capture of the perinerve protrusion nucleus pulposus ( F = 34.59, 148.65, 164.08, 5.08, 10.81, 38.06, 43.62, 37.46, and 38.76, all P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Preoperative dexmedetomidine can effectively maintain hemodynamic stability, ensure sedation levels, reduce postoperative pain, and accelerate patient recovery after surgery.