Intraoperative Dexmedetomidine Promotes Postoperative Analgesia and Recovery in Patients after Abdominal Colectomy: A CONSORT-Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial

Surgery-induced acute postoperative pain and stress response may lead to prolonged convalescence. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on postoperative analgesia and recovery after abdominal colectomy surgeries. Sixty-seven patients scheduled for abdominal colectomy under general anesthesia were divided into two groups, which were maintained using propofol/remifentanil/dexmedetomidine (PRD) or propofol/remifentanil/saline (PRS). During surgery, patients in the PRD group had a lower bispectral index value, which indicated a deeper anesthetic state and a higher sedation score right after extubation, than patients in the PRS group. During the first 24 hours after surgery, PRD patients consumed less morphine in patient-controlled analgesia, and had a lower score in visual analog scale, than their controls from the PRS group. The global 40-item quality of recovery questionnaire and 9-question fatigue severity score both showed a higher recovery score from day 3 after surgery in the PRD group. Intraoperative administration of dexmedetomidine seems to promote the analgesic property of morphine-based patient-controlled analgesia, and speed recovery from surgery in patients after abdominal colectomy.