Preliminary Experience with Dexmedetomidine in Neonatal Anesthesia

BACKGROUND: In paediatric patients dexmedetomidine has been reported to be effective in various clinical settings including provision of sedation during mechanical ventilation, prevention of emergence delirium after general anaesthesia, sedation during non invasive radiological procedures. However very few data of its use in newborn is available. PATIENTS & METHODS: Sixteen new born patients of age 2-28 days were studied. Anaesthesia was induced with 1 mgkg(-1) ketamine intravenously. Dexmedetomicline 1 μgkg(-1) was infused within ten minutres. Maintenance infusion was started as 0.5-0.8 μg kg(-1)h(-1) until the end of surgery ortrcheel intubation was done all patients were mechanical ventelated with O(2)+H(2)O safberane 0.1-0.2%. Non invasive systolic & chastake blood pressure, heart rate, SPO(2), DETCO(2), inhated & end trial sevophrame conc and body temperature were monitored. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the measured values of haemodynamic parameter at different intervals and the base line values. No patient had hypotension bradycardia hypertension hypoxia or respiratory depression. Patients had mild hypothermia during post-operative period. CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine 1 μgkg(-1) followed by maintenance dose of 0.5 μg kg(-1)h(-1) as an adjacent to sevoflurane anaesthesia in new born undergoing laparatomy provides haemodynamic stability during heightened surgical stimulate.