Magnesium sulphate as an adjuvant to total intravenous anesthesia in septorhinoplasty: a randomized controlled study

The current study was designed to assess the effect of magnesium sulphate infusion on hemodynamic parameters, neuromuscular blocking, propofol consumption, serum concentration of magnesium ions, and recovery from anesthesia during total intravenous anesthesia.

For this study, 60 patients undergoing septorhinoplasty operations were randomly allocated to receive magnesium sulphate (group M) or saline (group C) intravenously. The patients in group M received 15% magnesium sulphate 50 mg/kg in 100 ml of saline, and those in group C received an equal volume of saline before induction of anesthesia followed by 8 mg/kg/h infusion of either magnesium sulphate (group M) or an equal volume of saline (group C) until the end of surgery. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol, remifentanil infusions, and vecuronium in both groups.

Propofol requirements were significantly lower in group M than in group C (p < 0.05). The hemodynamic variables were similar in the two groups. The neuromuscular potency of vecuronium was greater in group M than in group C (p < 0.05). The verbal numeric scale values for pain were found to be significantly lower in group M than in group C (p < 0.05). Whereas the serum magnesium was in the normal range at the induction of anesthesia in the both groups, it was significantly lower in group C than in group M postoperatively (p < 0.05).

Magnesium sulphate can be used safely as an adjuvant to total intravenous anesthesia for day case surgeries, with the effect from potentialization of neuromuscular blockade taken into consideration.