[Dexmedetomidine for endoscopic submucosal dissection in a patient with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

Here we report an anesthetic management of a 74-year-old man with gastric cancer and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We maintained spontaneous breathing during ESD under monitored anesthesia care with dexmedetomidine (DEX). ESD lasted 5.5 hours with sufficient analgesia, and he required no airway management with the exception of supplemental mask oxygen during the procedures. He tolerated the procedure well and recovered with no complications. He was discharged without sequelae on the fifth postoperative day. DEX is a selective alpha2 agonist that has both sedative and analgesic properties, and it does not suppress ventilation. It should be used judiciously, and understanding the potential adverse effects and how to treat them is of paramount importance. However, with vigilant monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, and level of consciousness during the ESD, it can be administered safely, thus lessening the anesthetic requirements and possibly improving the surgical outcome of the high risk patients. Especially, patients with severe COPD have demonstrated an increased risk for oxygen desaturation following general anesthesia, and to avoid this complication, spontaneous breathing sedation with DEX during ESD is one of the suitable management methods for COPD patients.