Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Dexmedetomidine during total knee arthroplasty performed under spinal anesthesia decreases opioid use: a randomized-controlled trial.
It remains unclear whether the opioid-sparing effects of dexmedetomidine seen in patients undergoing general anesthesia are reproducible in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia. We hypothesized that the administration of intravenous dexmedetomidine for sedation during total knee arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia would decrease postoperative morphine consumption in the first 24 hr following surgery. ⋯ Dexmedetomidine was associated with a significant decrease in morphine use in the first 24 hr following total knee arthroplasty. Our study shows that an intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine for sedation in patients receiving spinal anesthesia can produce postoperative analgesic effects. This offers another potential adjunct in the multimodal pain management of these patients. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier NCT02026141).