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The effect of pre-anaesthetic administration of intravenous dexmedetomidine on postoperative pain in patients receiving patient-controlled morphine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2005

H. Unlugenc ,
M. Gunduz ,
T. Guler ,
O. Yagmur  and
G. Isik
H. Unlugenc
Affiliation:
Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anaesthesiology, Adana, Turkey
M. Gunduz
Affiliation:
Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anaesthesiology, Adana, Turkey
T. Guler
Affiliation:
Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anaesthesiology, Adana, Turkey
O. Yagmur
Affiliation:
Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of General Surgery, Adana, Turkey
G. Isik
Affiliation:
Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Anaesthesiology, Adana, Turkey
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Extract

Summary

Background and objective: This prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled study was designed to test the effect of pre-anaesthetic administration of dexmedetomidine, given as a single intravenous (i.v.) dose, on postoperative pain scores and morphine consumption in patients receiving patient-controlled morphine after abdominal surgery.

Methods: Sixty patients were randomly allocated to receive dexmedetomidine (1 μg kg−1) or saline 10 min before induction of anaesthesia. Twenty minutes before the end of surgery, all patients received a standardized (0.1 mg kg−1) loading dose of morphine. They were then allowed to use a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device giving bolus doses of morphine (0.02 mg kg−1). Pain, discomfort and sedation scores; cumulative morphine consumption; time to extubation; time to recovery; and any side-effects were recorded after recovery and at 1, 2, 6, 12 and 24 h after the start of PCA.

Results: The mean time to extubation at the end of anaesthesia and recovery time were similar in both groups. There were no significant differences between groups with regard to mean pain, discomfort, sedation and nausea scores. Cumulative morphine consumption was significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group at 6, 12 and 24 h (P < 0.05). The incidence of side-effects did not differ between the groups.

Conclusions: A single i.v. dose of dexmedetomidine (1 μg kg−1) given 10 min before induction of anaesthesia significantly reduced postoperative morphine consumption at identical pain scores compared to control, but had no effect on postoperative recovery time.

Keywords

ADRENERGIC α-AGONISTS, dexmedetomidinePAIN, acute, postoperativeANALGESIA, PATIENT-CONTROLLEDMORPHINE
Type
Original Article
Information
European Journal of Anaesthesiology , Volume 22 , Issue 5 , May 2005 , pp. 386 - 391
Copyright
© 2005 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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