Use of dexmedetomidine as an adjunct in the treatment of paradoxical hypertension after surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta in infants

Severe persistent hypertension is seen infrequently in newborns and infants, but we came across two infants who developed severe paradoxical hypertension after successful coarctation repair. Treatment of systemic hypertension following repair of coarctation of the aorta is always challenging particularly in infants. Dexmedetomidine was used successfully as an adjunct to the established anti-hypertensive drugs in the immediate postoperative period in our cases to treat postoperative paradoxical hypertension.