Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Heart Rate-Corrected QT and Tpeak–Tend Intervals During Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy With Steep Trendelenburg Position

Intraperitoneal insufflation of carbon dioxide may affect the sympathetic activity that leads to changes in ventricular repolarization. This in turn can result in changes of heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) interval and Tpeak-Tend (Tp-e) interval. Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective α2-receptor agonist and has potential antiarrhythmic properties. This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study evaluated the effects of dexmedetomidine administration on QTc and Tp-e intervals during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy with steep Trendelenburg position.Fifty patients scheduled for robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy randomly received either a continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine at a rate of 0.3 μg/kg/hour, from anesthetic induction until the end of the Trendelenburg position (dexmedetomidine group; n = 25), or the same volume of normal saline (control group; n = 25). Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and remifentanil. The primary and secondary goals were to evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on the QTc and Tp-e interval changes. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate, end-tidal CO2, and end-tidal sevoflurane concentrations were assessed as well.Forty-seven patients (94%) completed the study. Dexmedetomidine significantly attenuated QTc interval prolongation and reduced the Tp-e interval, even though the baseline values of the QTc and Tp-e intervals were similar between the 2 groups (PGroup × Time = 0.001 and 0.014, respectively). Twenty-two patients (96%) in the control group and 13 (54%) in the dexmedetomidine group had QTc interval prolongation of >20 ms from the baseline value during surgery (P = 0.001). The maximum QTc interval prolongation from the baseline value during surgery was 46 ± 21 ms in the control group and 24 ± 21 ms in the dexmedetomidine group (mean ± SD, P = 0.001). Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were comparable between the groups.Continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine at a rate of 0.3 μg/kg/hour significantly attenuated the QTc interval prolongation induced by CO2 pneumoperitoneum with steep Trendelenburg position. Furthermore, dexmedetomidine reduced the Tp-e interval. Thus, dexmedetomidine administration may be effective for patients who are susceptible to the development of ventricular arrhythmia during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.