ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on the quality of recovery from anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) with propofol anesthesia.Methods:Sixty patients of both sexes, aged>65 yr, weighing 45-80 kg, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰor Ⅱ, scheduled for elective ECT with propofol anesthesia, were assigned into 2 groups ( n=30 each) using a random number table method: control group (group C) and dexmedetomidine group (group D). Dexmedetomidine was intravenously infused in a dose of 0.2 μg/kg (in normal saline 10 ml) over 10 min starting from onset of anesthesia induction in group D, while normal saline 10 ml was given instead in group C. Propofol 1.0-1.5 mg/kg was intravenously injected slowly.Succinylcholine 0.7 mg/kg was intravenously injected after the eyelash reflex disappeared, and oxygen was delivered via a mask to assist artificial ventilation.The mask was removed when the muscle twitching disappeared during depolarization, treatment was performed with an ETC apparatus, and electroencephalogram was monitored.The electrical stimulus intensity was set according to the age of the patient during ECT treatment, and the initial intensity was set at 0.5 times the age of the patient. When the postictal suppression index was less than 80%, a higher level of stimulus intensity was used in the next ECT treatment (the difference between adjacent intensity levels was 25.2 mc, which was 5% of the total stimulus intensity). After the end of ECT procedure, participants were manually ventilated with a mask, and the patients were transferred to postanesthesia care unit when the spontaneous breathing was completely restored.The time to recovery of spontaneous breathing and emergence time were recorded.The development of adverse cardiovascular events, nausea and vomiting, respiratory depression, headache, drowsiness, agitation and delirium during recovery from anesthesia was also recorded. Results:Compared with group C, the incidence of agitation, delirium, hypertension and tachycardia during recovery from anesthesia was significantly decreased, and no significant change was found in the other variables in group D ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Dexmedetomidine can improve the quality of recovery from anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing ECT under propofol anesthesia.