Efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine infusion for patients undergoing awake craniotomy: An observational study

The goal of awake craniotomy is to maintain adequate sedation, analgesia, respiratory, and hemodynamic stability and also to provide a cooperative patient for neurologic testing. An observational study carried out to evaluate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine sedation for awake craniotomy.

Adult patients with age >18 year who underwent awake craniotomy for intracranial tumor surgery were enrolled. Those who were uncooperative and had difficult airway were excluded from the study. In the operating room, the patients received a bolus dose of dexmedetomidine 1 μg/kg followed by an infusion of 0.2-0.7 μg/kg/h (bispectral index target 60-80). Once the patients were sedated, scalp block was given with bupivacaine 0.25%. The data on hemodynamics at various stages of the procedure, intraoperative complications, total amount of fentanyl used, intravenous fluids required, blood loss and transfusion, duration of surgery, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and hospital stay were collected. The patients were assessed for Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) score and patient satisfaction score (PSS).

A total of 27 patients underwent awake craniotomy during a period of 2 years. Most common intraoperative complication was seizures; observed in five patients (18.5%). None of these patients experienced any episode of desaturation. Two patients had tight brain for which propofol boluses were administered. The average fentanyl consumption was 161.5 ± 85.0 μg. The duration of surgery, ICU, and hospital stays were 231.5 ± 90.5 min, 14.5 ± 3.5 h, and 4.7 ± 1.5 days, respectively. The overall PSS was 8 and GOS was good in all the patients.

The use of dexmedetomidine infusion with regional scalp block in patients undergoing awake craniotomy is safe and efficacious. The absence of major complications and higher PSS makes it close to an ideal agent for craniotomy in awake state.