Objective: To explore the effect of single-dose dexmedetomidine on recovery period after sevoflurane anesthesia with spontaneous respiration in pediatric patients undergoing cleft lip and palate repair.
Methods: A total of 60 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) I-II pediatric patients undergoing cleft lip and palate repair from October to December 2013 were randomly divided into groups D and C (n = 30 each) . Dexmedetomidine 0.5 µg/kg (group D) or an equal volume of normal saline (group C) was ad ministered intravenously over a period of 10 min at 30 min before the end of surgery. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with sevoflurane under spontaneous ventilation. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiratory rate, tidal volume (VT) and pressure of end-tidal carbon dioxide (PETCO2) were recorded at the time before induction (T0), 30 min before the end of surgery (T1) , 20 min before the end of surgery (T2), 15 min before the end of surgery (T3), 10 min before the end of surgery (T4), the end of surgery (T5), extubation (T6), 5 min after transferal into post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) (T7) , 1 h after surgery (T8) , extubation time, length of PACU stay, fentanyl consumption and adverse events were all recorded. The incidence and severity of coughing and emergence agitation were assessed.
Results: Compared to T0, MAP and heart rate at T1 to T5 all decreased in two groups (P < 0.05). MAP and heart rate at T6 both increased in two groups and group C was higher than group D (P < 0.05). No inter-group differences existed in SpO2, respiratory rate, VT or PETCO2. The incidence of coughing and emergence agitation (30% and 13.3%), fentanyl consumption of group D (0.8 ± 2.1 µg) were all significantly lower than that of group C [(66.7% vs 56.7%) and (4.9 ± 6.50) µg, P < 0.05]. Length of PACU stay in group D was shorter than that in group C [(15 ± 6) vs (23 ± 19) min, P < 0.05]. No inter-group difference existed in extubation time or adverse events.
Conclusion: A single intravenous dose of dexmedetomidine is effective in reducing emergence agitation and coughing, shortening length of PACU stay and improving the quality of recovery period after sevoflurane anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing cleft lip and palate repair.