European journal of oral sciences
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Comparative Study
Effect of changes in end-tidal carbon dioxide tension on oral tissue blood flow during dexmedetomidine infusion in rabbits.
A decrease in arterial carbon dioxide tension induces an increase in masseter muscle blood flow and a decrease in mandibular bone marrow blood flow during general anesthesia. In addition, dexmedetomidine infusion reduces oral tissue blood flow. In this study we investigated how end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (ET-CO2 ) changes influence on oral tissue blood flow during continuous dexmedetomidine infusion in rabbits. ⋯ Masseter muscle blood flow during ET-CO2 at 30 mmHg with dexmedetomidine was the same as that during ET-CO2 at 40 mmHg without dexmedetomidine. Our findings suggest that dexmedetomidine infusion and slight hypocapnia under general anesthesia suppress an increase in masseter muscle blood flow as well as reducing mandibular bone marrow blood flow. These results may be of significance for decreasing bleeding during oral and maxillofacial surgery.