Repeated dexmedetomidine infusions, a postoperative living-donor liver transplantation patient

Here we report on a postoperative living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) patient who received nightly infusions of dexmedetomidine (DEX), a specific alpha2-adrenergic receptor agonist, to treat agitation and insomnia during an intensive care unit stay. The infusion rate was adjusted according to the Ramsay sedation score. The actual plasma concentrations were higher than the values predicted by RugLoop software package simulation 9 h after the DEX infusion. However, all of the measurements were within the therapeutic range for DEX. Thus, DEX infusion could be safely used in the postoperative LDLT patient by employing a simple consciousness scale.