The Effectiveness of Intravenous Dexmedetomidine on Perioperative Hemodynamics, Analgesic Requirement, and Side Effects Profile in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgery Under General Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: There is an upward surge in the use of laparoscopic surgeries due to various advantages when compared to open surgeries. Major advantages are, due to small incisions which are cosmetically acceptable and most of them are now daycare procedures. Problem of economic burden and hospital bed occupancy has been overcome with laparoscopic surgeries. All these advantages are not free from disadvantages, as hemodynamic changes such as hypertension; tachycardia and other surgical-related complications are commonly observed intraoperatively. Dexmedetomidine is one of the α2 agonist drugs which acts at both supraspinal and spinal level and modulate the transmission of nociceptive signals in the central nervous system. The basic effect of dexmedetomidine on the cardiovascular system is to decrease the heart rate and systemic vascular resistance with additional feature of opioid sparing effect. This drug has become an ideal adjuvant during general anesthesia, especially when stress is expected. Hence, the drug was studied in laparoscopic surgeries. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (a) To study the effect of dexmedetomidine on hemodynamic parameters during perioperative period in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. (b) To study the postoperative sedation score and analgesic requirement. (c) To study the side effect profile of dexmedetomidine. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Randomized double blind controlled trial. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: After obtaining the Institutional Ethical Clearance, the study was conducted. Forty patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists Class I and II were enrolled in this randomized study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups; group normal saline (NS) and group dexmedetomidine. Patient received either NS or dexmedetomidine in group NS and group dexmedetomidine, respectively, depending upon the allocation. The infusion rate was adjusted according to; loading dose (1 µg/kg) over 10 min and maintenance dose (0.5 µg/kg/h) and perioperative hemodynamics was recorded. Routine general anesthesia was administered in all the patients with conventional technique without deviating from institutional protocols. Postoperatively, Rasmsay sedation score, time taken for request of first analgesic dose, and side effects if any were recorded. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The categorical factors are represented by the number and frequency (%) of cases. The continuous variables are represented by measures of central frequency and standard deviation. The statistical analysis was done by using unpaired t-test and Chi-square. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Significant hemodynamic changes are observed in NS group during laryngoscopy, intubation, during pneumoperitoneum formation, and during extubation. Hemodynamic stress response in dexmedetomidine group was significantly attenuated. Analgesic requirement during postoperative 24 h were much less in dexmedetomidine group when compared to NS group. No significant side effects were noted except for bradycardia; which was observed in two cases of dexmedetomidine group. CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine infusion in the dose of 1 µg/kg body weight as bolus over 10 min and 0.5 µg/kg/h intraoperatively as maintenance dose controlled the hemodynamic stress response in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Use of dexmedetomidine extends the pain free period postoperatively and thereby reducing total analgesic requirement. Thus, dexmedetomidine can be utilized as an ideal anesthetic adjuvant during laparoscopic surgeries.

Dexmedetomidine with low-dose ketamine for cataract surgery under peribulbar block in a patient with Huntington's chorea.

Huntington's chorea (HC) is a rare hereditary disorder of the nervous system. It is inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder and is characterized by progressive chorea, dementia, and psychiatric disturbances. There are only a few case reports regarding the anesthetic management of a patient with HC and the best anesthetic technique is yet to be established for those patients which are at higher risk of perioperative complications. We report the anesthetic management of a 64-year-old patient with HC admitted for cataract surgery.

Femoral neuropathy: a complication of lithotomy position under spinal anaesthesia. Report of three cases.

Three patients developed solitary unilateral peripheral femoral neuropathy after vaginal hysterectomy. All were operated under subarachnoid analgesia in the lithotomy position. Straight rod leg supports with swing stirrups were used and the procedures lasted for two and one-half hours. The complication is thought due to the extreme abduction of thighs with external rotation at the hip causing ischaemia of the femoral nerve as it is kinked beneath the tough inguinal ligament. The prognosis was found to be excellent with complete recovery within eight to ten weeks. The complication is preventable by using lateral thigh supports limiting the degree of abduction.

Femoral nerve block for fractured shaft of femur.

Twenty five adults and children with fractured shaft of femur were given femoral nerve block for pain relief. The block was found to be useful for purposes of transportation and immobilization. The pain relief was complete if the fracture site was in the middle third of the femoral shaft. The block is easy, safe, economical and most useful in emergency and poor risk patients.