Early extubation after liver transplantation: Is dexmedetomidine a good option?: A retrospective cohort study

Dexmedetomidine is a potent and highly selective alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist with sympatholytic, sedative, anxiolytic and analgesic properties. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of a dexmedetomidine infusion in liver transplant recipients in the early postoperative period on early and smooth extubation.

We performed a retrospective chart review of 21 patients undergoing liver transplantation between December 1, 2018 and February 31, 2020. Patients were divided into the dexmedetomidine and midazolam groups. The primary outcome was the extubation time. Secondary outcomes were mean arterial pressure and heart rate before and after extubation. The collected data included the patients' age, gender, surgery time, Model for End-stage Liver Disease score, cold ischemia time, blood transfusion amount and extubation visual analogue scale (VAS) scores.

Extubation time was significantly shorter in the dexmedetomidine group than in the midazolam group (median [minimum-maximum], 4 [0-6], 8 [4-13] hours, respectively, P = .000). Extubation VAS scores were statistically significantly lower in dexmedetomidine group (P = .000). Mean arterial pressure values before and after extubation were significantly higher in patients' midazolam group than the dexmedetomidine group (P = .003, P = .005, respectively).

Dexmedetomidine infusions provided early and smooth extubation with stable haemodynamics in our patients.