Affiliation: | aDepartment of Anesthesiology, HGR No 110, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) and CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44700, Mexico bDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hospital de Especialidades, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44349, Mexico cDepartment of Surgery, HGR No 110, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara 44700, Mexico dDivision of Health Research, UMAE, Hospital de Especialidades, CMNO, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara, Mexico and Department of Physiology, CUCS, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44349, Mexico |
Abstract: | STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine the analgesic efficacy of dexmedetomidine in the early postoperative period. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, double placebo-controlled clinical trial. SETTING: University medical center. PATIENTS: 30 ASA physical status I, II, and III patients with cruciate ligament lesion and joint fibrosis who were scheduled for knee arthroscopy. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were prospectively randomized to receive dexmedetomidine one mcg/kg(-1) intravenously (IV), for 10 minutes followed by dexmedetomidine 0.3 mcg/kg(-1) for 50 minutes or propacetamol two g, IV, for 10 minutes. MEASUREMENTS: Pain scores, time to onset analgesia, and morphine consumption were measured. Open-label rescue morphine 5 mg IV was available as needed during the postdosing evaluation period of 8 hours. Hemodynamic data, sedation scores, and renal and hepatic function were assessed for control of adverse events. MAIN RESULTS: Pain scores with dexmedetomidine and propacetamol were similar. There were no differences in the number of patients who required supplemental rescue analgesia (7/15 vs 4/15; P = 0.44), but total morphine requirements were higher with dexmedetomidine (45 mg) versus propacetamol (20 mg) in the 8-hour follow-up (P < 0.05). The most frequent adverse events with dexmedetomidine were bradycardia and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine provides a modest analgesic effect after knee arthroscopy, but the side effects of this drug, such as hypertension and bradycardia, may restrict the use of large bolus doses. |