Dexmedetomidine decreases the emergence agitation in infant patients undergoing cleft palate repair surgery after general anesthesia

BACKGROUND To determine whether continuous intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine (DEX) can affect the incidence of Emergence Agitation (EA) after general anesthesia in infant undergoing cleft palate repair surgery. METHODS Forty infants underwent cleft palate repair surgery under general anesthesia were randomly divided into the DEX (D) group and Placebo (P) groups. Patients in group D received continuous intravenous infusion of DEX 0.8 μg · kg-1 · min-1 after the induction. Patients in group P were administered with continuous intravenous infusion of the equivalent volume of normal saline. Both groups were induced with fentanyl 0.005 mg/Kg, propofol 2 mg/Kg and cisatracurium 0.2 mg/Kg. Anaesthesia was maintained with continuous intravenous infusion of propofol (2 mg/Kg · h), remifentanil (0.1 μg/Kg · h), and inhalation of 1 to 3 % sevoflurane. RESULT The heart rate (HR) in group P was significant higher than that in group D at the time of operation (P < 0.05), postoperative 15 min, 30 min and the time of extubation (P < 0.01). The mean arterial pressure (MAP) in group P was higher comparing with MAP in group D at the time of extubation (P < 0.05). The spontaneous eye opening times and spontaneous arm or leg motion times were longer in group D (P < 0.05). The mean agitation scores of patients in group D were significantly lower than that in group P (P < 0.01). However, the incidence of EA in group P and group D was 90 % and 15 % (P <0.05). CONCLUSION The continuous intravenous infusion of DEX after induction could significantly reduce the occurrence of EA. TRIAL REGISTRATION The Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR-TRC-13003865.