Adding Dexmedetomidine to Lidocaine for Intravenous Regional Anesthesia

• Published in: Anesthesia and analgesia Vol. 98; no. 3; pp. 835 - 840
• Main Authors: Memiş, Dilek, Turan, Alparslan, Karamanloğlu, Beyhan, Pamukçu, Zafer, Kurt, Imran
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD International Anesthesia Research Society 01-03-2004; Lippincott
• Subjects: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists - adverse effects; Adult; Aged; Anesthesia; Anesthesia Recovery Period; Anesthesia, Conduction; Anesthesia, Intravenous; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anesthetics, Local; Biological and medical sciences; Dexmedetomidine - adverse effects; Double-Blind Method; Female; Forearm - surgery; Hand - surgery; Hemodynamics - physiology; Humans; Lidocaine; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Monitoring, Intraoperative; Nerve Block; Orthopedic Procedures; Pain, Postoperative - epidemiology; Local anesthetic; Regional anesthesia; Intravenous administration; Dexmedetomidine; Anticonvulsant; Antiarrhythmic agent; Lidocaine
• ISSN: 0003-2999; 1526-7598
• DOI: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000100680.77978.66

Dexmedetomidine is approximately 8 times more selective toward the α-2-adrenoceptors than clonidine. It decreases anesthetic requirements by up to 90% and induces analgesia in patients. We designed this study to evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine when added to lidocaine in IV regional anesthesia (IVRA). We investigated onset and duration of sensory and motor blocks, the quality of the anesthesia, intraoperative-postoperative hemodynamic variables, and intraoperative-postoperative pain and sedation. Thirty patients undergoing hand surgery were randomly assigned to 2 groups to receive IVRA. They received 40 mL of 0.5% lidocaine and either 1 mL of isotonic saline (group L, n = 15) or 0.5 μg/kg dexmedetomidine (group LD, n = 15). Sensory and motor block onset and recovery times and anesthesia quality were noted. Before and after the tourniquet application at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 40 min, hemodynamic variables, tourniquet pain and sedation, and analgesic use were recorded. After the tourniquet deflation, at 30 min, and 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 h, hemodynamic variables, pain and sedation values, time to first analgesic requirement, analgesic use, and side effects were noted. Shortened sensory and motor block onset times, prolonged sensory and motor block recovery times, prolonged tolerance for the tourniquet, and improved quality of anesthesia were found in group LD. Visual analog scale scores were significantly less in group LD in the intraoperative period and 30 min, and 2, 4, and 6 h after tourniquet release. Intra-postoperative analgesic requirements were significantly less in group LD. Time to first analgesic requirements was significantly longer in group LD in the postoperative period. We conclude that the addition of 0.5 μg/kg dexmedetomidine to lidocaine for IVRA improves quality of anesthesia and perioperative analgesia without causing side effects.