Abstract:

Objective To study the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine used for general anesthesia maintenance in children undergoing odontotherapy in day-surgery operating room in reducing the incidence of emergence agitation (EA). Methods Eighty children undergoing odontotherapy and under general anesthesia in day-surgery operating room were randomized into two groups, group A (n=40) and group B (n=40). Each patient in group A was administered with a bolus dose of dexmedeto-midine (1.0 μg·kg^-1, saline diluted to 10 mL) pump-infused after intubation and a maintenance dose of 0.1-0.4 mL·(kg·h)^-1 followed-up until 45 min before the end of operation. Each patient in group B was administered with a bolus dose of normal saline 10 mL pump-infused after intubation and maintenance dose of 0.1-0.4 mL·(kg·h)^-1 followed-up until 45 min before theend of operation. Gender, age, weight, physical status according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, perioperative heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse oxygen saturation (SpO₂), sufentanil dosage, duration of surgery, time of extubation, time of regaining consciousness, and time to reach modified Aldrete’s score≥12 were recorded. Behavior in postanesthesia care unit was rated on the four-point agita-tion scale. Results Compared with group B, decreases were observed in HR and MAP at the beginning of operation, in 10 and 30 min, 1 and 2 h after the beginning of operation, and after extubation of group A (P<0.05). Sufentanil dosage and incidence of EA during recovery of group A were also lower than those of group B (P<0.05). Time to regain consciousness and time to reach modified Aldrete’s score≥12 of group A were longer than those of group B (P<0.05). No statistical difference was observed between other indexes of the two groups. Conclusion As an anesthetic used for general anesthesia maintenance in children undergoing odontotherapy in day-surgery operating room, dexmedetomidine results in low incidence of EA during recovery and more stable vital signs.

Key words: dexmedetomidine, day-surgery, pediatric dentistry, general anesthesia