Impact of Dexmedetomidine on Intraoperative Wake-Up Tests in Patients Undergoing Spinal Surgery

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on intraoperative wake-up tests.

Design: American Society of Anesthesiologists category I or II patients were divided into two groups: a propofol-remifentanil group (group R, n = 20) and a DEX-propofol-remifentanil group (group D, n = 20).

Methods: The patients in group D received DEX, whereas the patients in group R received the same volume of saline. The other anesthetic methods and drugs (propofol and remifentanil) were the same in both groups. During the wake-up test, patients were repeatedly asked to move their fingers.

Findings: All the wake-up tests were successfully performed. There was no significant difference in the mean wake-up time between the two groups. Eighteen patients exhibited better wake-up quality in group D as did eight patients in group R. The patients in group D had a significantly better overall wake-up quality than those in group R (P <.05).

Conclusions: DEX did not affect the wake-up time and increased the wake-up quality.

Keywords: anesthetics; dexmedetomidine; general; intravenous; remifentanil; spinal disease.