Dexmedetomidine as an Anesthetic Adjuvant in Intracranial Surgery

The basic principle of neuroanesthesia is to provide hemodynamic stability, provision of optimal operative conditions, maintenance of cerebral perfusion pressure, and cerebral oxygenation.

This study was undertaken to see the effect of dexmedetomidine infusion on hemodynamics and its ability to act as an anesthetic adjuvant in patients undergoing supratentorial tumor surgery.

Prospective randomized control double blind study.

In this study, we compared two groups with 25 patients in each group. Group C patients received saline infusion during surgery and 4 μg/kg of fentanyl intravenously (i.v.) at the induction and at pin head application. Group D patients received dexmedetomidine infusion during surgery at the rate of 0.4 μg/kg/h and 2 μg/kg of fentanyl i.v. at the induction and at pin head application.

Parametric data were analyzed using Student's t-test. The categorical data were studied using Chi-squared test or Fisher's test as appropriate.

The vitals remained within 20% of baseline in both groups during the study period except at the time of extubation where the rise in heart rate was more than 20% in control group. The requirement of thiopentone for induction was significantly less in dexmedetomidine group. In dexmedetomidine group, less number of patients required intraoperative fentanyl (P < 0.05), and the time to rescue analgesic was also more in Group D (P < 0.05).

Dexmedetomidine infusion started before surgery maintains hemodynamic stability intraoperatively and is effective in attenuating the cardiovascular responses to intubation, skull pin application, and extubation. It decreases the requirement of other anesthetic agents as well.