ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the effect of intraoperative dexmedetomidine (DEX)infusion during propofol intravenous anesthesia on postoperative recovery after major spinal surgery.Methods:Sixty pa-tients aged 1 8 to 65 (American Society of Anesthesiologists,ASA Ⅰ -Ⅱ),scheduled for spinal surgery from January 201 4 to May 201 4 were randomized into two groups.The DEX group (n =30)received 0.5 μg/kg of DEX ten minutes before anesthesic induction,followed by an infusion of DEX at 0.2 μg/(kg·h)intraoperatively and the control group (n =30)was given identical amounts of normal saline. At the end of surgery,the patients of both groups received patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA)with morphine 0.5 mg/h (1 mg demand dose and 8 min lockout).Heart rate and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were continually monitored during operation and in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU).The propofol and sufentanil consumptions during operation and the morphine consumption 48 h after surgery were recorded.The time for recovery and extubation were recorded.The followed-up evalua-tions were performed to assess Ramsay scores,visual analogue scale (VAS)pain scores as well as side effects in PACU and 48 h after surgery.Results:Heart rate of DEX group was lower than that of control group after intubation and extubation and in PACU 1 0 min (P <0.05).MAP was lower in DEX group than that in control group after extubation and in PACU (P <0.05).Compared with control group,the propofol consumption during anesthesic induction,the sufentanil consumption during operation and the cumulative consumption of morphine 2 h and 6 h after surgery were decreased (P <0.05).There were no differences between the two groups as to the time for recovery or extubation.Compared with control group,the VAS pain scores were significantly decreased (P <0.01 ),the incidence of postoperative nau-sea and vomiting in DEX group were significantly decreased (P <0.05)48 h after surgery.Conclusion:Intraoperative infusion of DEX improved quality of recovery,provided good analgesia,and decreased morphine use and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting after major spinal surgery.