Remifentanil-based Anesthesia Research Articles

Opioid-free anaesthesia with dexmedetomidine and lidocaine versus remifentanil-based anaesthesia in cardiac surgery: study protocol of a French randomised, multicentre and single-blinded OFACS trial

IntroductionIntraoperative opioids have been used for decades to reduce negative responses to nociception. However, opioids may have several, and sometimes serious, adverse effects. Cardiac surgery exposes patients to a high...

Postoperative pain after different doses of remifentanil infusion during anaesthesia: a meta-analysis

BackgroundThis meta-analysis aimed to explore the correlation between the different doses of remifentanil-based anaesthesia and postoperative pain in randomised trials.MethodsThe electronic databases including PubMed, Cochrane, clinical trial registries, and Google Scholar were searched up to November 2022 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the dose dependent efficacy of remifentanil for postoperative pain intensity and hyperalgesia.Results31 studies involving 2019 patients were included for analysis. Compared with the high remifentanil dose administration, patients in low doses showed less postoperative pain intensity at 1-2 h (weighted mean differences (WMD): 0.60, 95% CI, 0.05 to 1.15), 3-8 h (WMD: 0.38, 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.75), 24 h (WMD: 0.26, 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.48) and 48 h (WMD: 0.32, 95% CI, 0.09 to 0.55). Remifentanil-free regimen failed to decrease the pain score at 24 h (WMD: 0.10, 95% CI, -0.10 to 0.30) and 48 h (WMD: 0.15, 95% CI, -0.22 to 0.52) in comparison with remifentanil-based anaesthesia. After excluding trials with high heterogeneity, the dose of the remifentanil regimen was closely correlated with the postoperative pain score (P=0.03). In addition, the dose of the remifentanil regimen was not associated with the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) (P=0.37).ConclusionsOur meta-analysis reveals that the low dose of remifentanil infusion is recommendable for general anaesthesia maintenance. No evidence suggests that remifentanil-free regimen has superiority in reducing postoperative pain. Moreover, remifentanil doesn’t have a dose dependent effect in initiating PONV.Trial registrationThe protocol of present study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022378360).

Comparison between multimodal and intraoperative opioid free anesthesia for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a prospective, randomized study

Anesthesia for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and perioperative management remains a challenge. Several clinical studies indicate that opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) may be beneficial, but there is no consensus on the most optimal anesthesia technique in clinical practice. The aim of our study was to assess the potential benefits and risks of intraoperative OFA compared to multimodal analgesia (MMA) with remifentanil infusion. In a prospective, randomized study, we analyzed 59 patients’ data. Primary outcome measures were oxycodone consumption and reported pain scores (numerical rating scale, NRS) at 1, 6, 12, and 24th hours after surgery. Postoperative sedation on the Ramsay scale, nausea and vomiting on the PONV impact scale, desaturation episodes, pruritus, hemodynamic parameters, and hospital stay duration were also documented and compared. There were no significant differences in NRS scores or total 24-h oxycodone requirements. In the first postoperative hour, OFA group patients needed an average of 4.6 mg of oxycodone while the MMA group 7.72 mg (p = 0.008, p < 0.05 statistically significant). The PONV impact scale was significantly lower in the OFA group only in the first hour after the operation (p = 0.006). Patients in the OFA group required higher doses of ephedrine 23.67 versus 15.69 mg (p = 0.039) and more intravenous fluids 1160 versus 925.86 ml (p = 0.007). The mode of anesthesia did not affect the pain scores or the total dose of oxycodone in the first 24 postoperative hours. Only in the first postoperative hour were an opioid-sparing effect and reduction of PONV incidence seen in the OFA group when compared with remifentanil-based anesthesia. However, patients in the OFA group showed significantly greater hemodynamic lability necessitating higher vasopressor doses and more fluid volume.

Intravenous diclofenac and orphenadrine for the treatment of postoperative pain after remifentanil-based anesthesia : Adouble-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Postoperative intravenous diclofenac reduces patient opioid demand and is commonly used in surgical units. Orphenadrine is mainly used in combination with diclofenac for musculoskeletal injuries and postoperative pain control. The objective of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of diclofenac-orphenadrine, diclofenac alone and saline. We performed adouble-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, single-center clinical study investigating the opioid-sparing effect of acombination of diclofenac and orphenadrine versus diclofenac alone versus isotonic saline solution. Initially 72patients were included and received total intravenous anesthesia during cruciate ligament surgery. All patients were postoperatively treated with apatient-controlled analgesia (PCA) device containing hydromorphone. Pharmacological safety was assessed by laboratory parameters, vital signs, and delirium detection scores. There was no significant difference between the groups in cumulative dose of PCA analgesics required after 24 h postsurgery, with 5.90 mg (SD ± 2.90 mg) in the placebo group, 5.73 mg (SD ± 4.75 mg) in the diclofenac group, and 4.13 mg (SD ± 2.57 mg) in the diclofenac-orphenadrine group. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the groups in cumulative dose of PCA analgesics required 2 h postsurgery (n = 65). Mean dose of hydromorphone required after 2 h was 1.54 mg (SD ± 0.57 mg) in the placebo group, 1.56 mg (SD ± 1.19 mg) in the diclofenac-only group, and 1.37 mg (SD ± 0.78 mg) in the diclofenac-orphenadrine group. However, when comparing the diclofenac-orphenadrine group and the diclofenac group combined to placebo there was asignificant reduction in PCA usage in the first 24 h postsurgery. In total, there were 25adverse events reported, none of which were rated as severe. Orphenadrine-diclofenac failed to significantly reduce postoperative opioid requirements. However, in an exploratory post hoc analysis the diclofenac-orphenadrine and the diclofenac group combined versus placebo showed atendency to reduce opioid demand in postoperative pain control. Further research is required to determine the value of orphenadrine as an adjuvant in amultimodal approach for postoperative pain management.

The Effect of Opioid-Free Anesthesia on the Quality of Recovery After Gynecological Laparoscopy: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

PurposeOpioid-free anesthesia (OFA) is an emerging technique that eliminates intraoperative use of opioids and is associated with lower postoperative opioid consumption and reduced adverse postoperative events. The present study investigated the effect of OFA on the quality of recovery in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopy.Patients and MethodsSeventy-five adult patients undergoing elective gynecological laparoscopy were randomly assigned to the OFA group with dexmedetomidine and lidocaine or the remifentanil-based anesthesia (RA) group with remifentanil. Patients, surgeons, and medical staff members providing postoperative care and assessing outcomes were blinded to group allocation. The anesthesiologist performing general anesthesia could not be blinded due to the different drug administration protocols by groups. The primary outcome was the quality of recovery measured using the Quality of Recovery-40 (QoR-40) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were postoperative pain score, intraoperative and postoperative adverse events, and stress hormones levels.ResultsThe patients in both groups had comparable baseline characteristics. The QoR-40 score on postoperative day 1 was significantly higher in the OFA group than in the RA group (155.9 ± 21.2 in the RA group vs 166.9 ± 17.8 in the OFA group; mean difference: −11.0, 95% confidence interval: −20.0, −2.0; p = 0.018). The visual analog scale score at 30 min after surgery was significantly lower in the OFA group than in the RA group (6.3 ± 2.3 in the RA group vs 4.1 ± 2.1 in the OFA group; p < 0.001). The incidences of nausea and shivering in the post-anesthetic care unit were also significantly lower in the OFA group (p = 0.014 and 0.025; respectively). Epinephrine levels were significantly lower in the OFA group (p = 0.002).ConclusionOFA significantly improved the quality of recovery in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopy.

A comparison of the outcomes of dexmedetomidine and remifentanil with sufentanil-based general anesthesia in pediatric patients for the transthoracic device closure of ventricular septal defects

ObjectiveTo compare the safety and efficacy of dexmedetomidine and remifentanil with sufentanil-based general anesthesia for the transthoracic device closure of ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in pediatric patients.MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on 60 children undergoing the transthoracic device closure of VSDs from January 2019 to June 2020. The patients were divided into two groups based on different anesthesia strategies, including 30 cases in group R (dexmedetomidine- and remifentanil-based general anesthesia) and 30 cases in group S (sufentanil-based general anesthesia).ResultsThere was no significant difference in preoperative clinical information, hemodynamics before induction and after extubation, postoperative pain scores, or length of hospital stay between the two groups. However, the hemodynamic data of group R were significantly lower than those of group S at the time points of anesthesia induction, skin incision, thoracotomy, incision closure, and extubation. The amount of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), the duration of mechanical ventilation, and the length of the intensive care unit (ICU) stay in group R were significantly less than those in group S.ConclusionDexmedetomidine combined with remifentanil-based general anesthesia for the transthoracic device closure of VSDs in pediatric patients is safe and effective.

Efficacy of methadone for the management of postoperative pain in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A randomized clinical trial.

Postoperative pain management contributes to reducing postoperative morbidity and unscheduled readmission. Compared to other opioids that manage postoperative pain like morphine, few randomized trials have tested the efficacy of intraoperatively administered methadone to provide evidence for its regular use or be included in clinical guidelines. We conducted a randomized clinical trial comparing the use of intraoperative methadone to assess its impact on postoperative pain. Eighty-six patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were allocated to receive either methadone (0.08 mg/kg) or morphine (0.08 mg/kg). Individuals who received methadone required less rescue morphine in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit for postoperative pain than those who received morphine (p = 0.0078). The patients from the methadone group reported less pain at 5 and 15 minutes and 12 and 24 hours following Post Anesthesia Care Unit discharge, exhibiting fewer episodes of nausea. Time to eye-opening was equivalent between the two groups. Intraoperative use of methadone resulted in better management of postoperative pain, supporting its use as part of a multimodal pain management strategy for laparoscopic cholecystectomy under remifentanil-based anesthesia.

Improved haemodynamic stability and cerebral tissue oxygenation after induction of anaesthesia with sufentanil compared to remifentanil: a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundBalanced anaesthesia with propofol and remifentanil, compared to sufentanil, often decreases mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and cardiac index (CI), raising concerns on tissue-oxygenation. This distinct haemodynamic suppression might be attenuated by atropine. This double blinded RCT, investigates if induction with propofol-sufentanil results in higher CI and tissue-oxygenation than with propofol-remifentanil and if atropine has more pronounced beneficial effects on CI and tissue-oxygenation in a remifentanil-based anaesthesia.MethodsIn seventy patients scheduled for coronary bypass grafting (CABG), anaesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol target controlled infusion (TCI) with a target effect-site concentration (Cet) of 2.0 μg ml− 1 and either sufentanil (TCI Cet 0.48 ng ml− 1) or remifentanil (TCI Cet 8 ng ml− 1). If HR dropped below 60 bpm, methylatropine (1 mg) was administered intravenously. Relative changes (∆) in MAP, HR, stroke volume (SV), CI and cerebral (SctO2) and peripheral (SptO2) tissue-oxygenation during induction of anaesthesia and after atropine administration were analysed.ResultsThe sufentanil group compared to the remifentanil group showed significantly less decrease in MAP (∆ = − 23 ± 13 vs. -36 ± 13 mmHg), HR (∆ = − 5 ± 7 vs. -10 ± 10 bpm), SV (∆ = − 23 ± 18 vs. -35 ± 19 ml) and CI (∆ = − 0.8 (− 1.5 to − 0.5) vs. -1.5 (− 2.0 to − 1.1) l min− 1 m− 2), while SctO2 (∆ = 9 ± 5 vs. 6 ± 4%) showed more increase with no difference in ∆SptO2 (∆ = 8 ± 7 vs. 8 ± 8%). Atropine caused higher ∆HR (13 (9 to 19) vs. 10 ± 6 bpm) and ∆CI (0.4 ± 0.4 vs. 0.2 ± 0.3 l min− 1 m− 2) in sufentanil vs. remifentanil-based anaesthesia, with no difference in ∆MAP, ∆SV and ∆SctO2 and ∆SptO2.ConclusionInduction of anaesthesia with propofol and sufentanil results in improved haemodynamic stability and higher SctO2 compared to propofol and remifentanil in patients having CABG. Administration of atropine might be useful to counteract or prevent the haemodynamic suppression associated with these opioids.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov on June 7, 2013 (trial ID: NCT01871935).

Effect of remifentanil-based fast-track anesthesia on postoperative analgesia and sedation in adult patients undergoing transthoracic device closure of ventricular septal defect

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of remifentanil-based fast-track anesthesia on analgesia and sedation after transthoracic device closure of ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in adult patients.MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on 59 patients aged 21–53 years who underwent transthoracic device closure of VSDs from January 2019 to September 2019. According to the different anesthesia strategies, the patients were divided into the R group (using remifentanil-based anesthesia, n = 33) and the S group (using sufentanil-based anesthesia, n = 26). Patient-related clinical data, postoperative analgesia, and sedation scores were collected and analyzed.ResultsThere was no significant difference in age, gender, body weight, and operation time between the group R and the group S (P > 0.05). There was also no significant difference in intraoperative hemodynamic changes, BIS scores, postoperative analgesia, and sedation scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). The duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of ICU stay, and hospital stay in the group R were significantly lower than those in the group S (P < 0.05).ConclusionRemifentanil-based fast-track anesthesia is effective for adult patients undergoing transthoracic device closure of VSDs, which may shorten the mechanical ventilation duration, the ICU and hospital stay of patients.

Comparison of the Effects of Desflurane, Sevoflurane, and Propofol on the Glottic Opening Area during Remifentanil-Based General Anesthesia Using a Supraglottic Airway Device

Purpose The aim of this study was to compare the effects of desflurane, sevoflurane, and propofol on the glottic opening area during general anesthesia using remifentanil. Methods Ninety patients undergoing hand and upper limb surgery combined with brachial plexus block under general anesthesia were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomized into three groups to receive desflurane (group D), sevoflurane (group S), or propofol (group P) for maintenance of anesthesia. Following induction of general anesthesia with remifentanil, continuous fiberoptic video recording around the glottis via an i-gel™ supraglottic device was started after establishing mechanical ventilation. Desflurane, sevoflurane, or propofol was administrated after video recording was started. The changes in normalized glottic opening area (n-GOA) and peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) during surgery were compared between the three groups. Results Intraoperative changes of n-GOA in group D showed significant differences compared with group S and group P (−0.0656 ± 0.0772 vs. −0.0076 ± 0.0499 and +0.0269 ± 0.0809, P=0.005 and P < 0.0001). The changes of PIP in group D showed significant differences compared with group S and group P (+3.7 ± 3.4 cmH2O vs. +1.0 ± 1.3 cmH2O and −0.3 ± 3.6 cmH2O, P=0.002 and P < 0.0001). Four cases of relapsed glottic stenosis in group D were improved by changing desflurane to propofol. Conclusions Desflurane narrowed the n-GOA and increased the PIP compared to sevoflurane and propofol during general anesthesia with remifentanil. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of glottic stenosis during desflurane-remifentanil anesthesia when the airway is secured by a supraglottic airway device without the use of neuromuscular blockade.

Effect of Remifentanil-Based Anesthesia on Perioperative Phagocytic Function of Human Monocytes

Effect of Remifentanil-Based Anesthesia on Perioperative Phagocytic Function of Human Monocytes

The effect of methadone on postoperative quality of recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A prospective, randomized, double blinded, controlled clinical trial

Study objectivesThe aim of the present study was to assess the quality of recovery from anesthesia in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) under total intravenous anesthesia, who received either methadone or morphine for post-surgical analgesia by means of questionnaire Quality of Recovery-40 (QoR-40). DesignProspective Randomized Clinical Trial. SettingThe setting was at an operating room, postoperative recovery area and hospital ward. PatientsSeventy patients who underwent LC under remifentanil-based anesthesia were randomly assigned to receive methadone 0.1 mg kg−1 or morphine 0.1 mg kg−1. MeasurementsThe primary outcome was the quality of recovery, using the Quality of Recovery Questionnaire (QoR-40). Secondary outcomes included time to eye opening, the occurrence of nausea and vomiting, pain score, use of supplemental analgesics, and PACU length of stay. Main resultsNo differences were observed in the total or individual QoR-40 dimension scores. During the PACU stay, the occurrence of PONV and pain scores were similar between groups. Opioid consumption (p < 0.02) and the level of sedation (p < 0.01) were higher in the morphine group. There were no differences in the amount of time required to achieve PACU discharge criteria. The frequency of nausea or emesis, the severity of pain, and tramadol consumption were comparable between both groups while on the ward. ConclusionsPain scores and the Quality of Recovery did not differ between patients who underwent LC under total intravenous anesthesia, who received either methadone or morphine for post-surgical analgesia.

Effects of Ketamine on Postoperative Pain After Remifentanil-Based Anesthesia for Major and Minor Surgery in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has been postulated as an adjuvant analgesic for preventing remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia after surgery. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the effectiveness of ketamine [racemic mixture and S-(+)-ketamine] in reducing morphine consumption and pain intensity scores after remifentanil-based general anesthesia. We performed a literature search of the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases in June 2017 and selected randomized controlled trials using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. To minimize confounding and heterogeneity, studies of NMDA receptor antagonists other than ketamine were excluded and the selected studies were grouped into those assessing minor or major surgery. Methodological quality was evaluated with the PEDro and JADA scales. The data were extracted and meta-analyses were performed where possible. Twelve RCTs involving 156 adults who underwent minor surgery and 413 adults who underwent major surgery were included in the meta-analysis. When used as an adjuvant to morphine, ketamine reduced postoperative morphine consumption in the first 24 h and postoperative pain intensity in the first 2 h in the minor and major surgery groups. It was also associated with significantly reduced pain intensity in the first 24 h in the minor surgery group. Time to the first rescue analgesia was longer in patients who received ketamine and underwent major surgery. No significant differences in the incidence of ketamine-related adverse effects were observed among patients in the intervention group and controls. This systematic review and meta-analysis show that low-dose (≤0.5 mg/kg for iv bolus or ≤5 μg/kg/min for iv perfusion) of ketamine reduces postoperative morphine consumption and pain intensity without increasing the incidence of adverse effects.

Does fentanyl or remifentanil provide better postoperative recovery after laparoscopic surgery? a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundFentanyl and remifentanil are widely used opioids in surgery, but it has not been evaluated whether the choice of opioids during surgery affects the patients’ postoperative quality of recovery. Accordingly, we aim to compare postoperative recovery of fentanyl-based anesthesia with remifentanil-based anesthesia after laparoscopic surgery using the QoR 40 questionnaire (QoR-40).MethodsThe study was prospective, randomized, patient and investigator-blinded, controlled, clinical trial. Seventy patients undergoing laparoscopic or retroperitoneoscopic renal or ureteral surgery were recruited and randomized to either fentanyl or remifentanil based anesthesia groups. The primary outcome was the global QoR-40 at 24 h after surgery.ResultsThe global median (interquartile range) QoR-40 score was 160 (138–177) in the fentanyl group (n = 32) and 140 (127–166) in the remifentanil group (n = 31). Physical comfort and physical independence, the two out of the five dimensions of the QoR-40, demonstrated significantly high scores in the fentanyl group (P = 0.047 and P = 0.032, respectively).ConclusionAlthough the global QoR is higher in the fentanyl group by 20 points compared with remifentanil group, no significant differences revealed between the groups. Further studies with large numbers of subjects of the same gender are needed.Trial registrationUniversity Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN), UMIN000010464. Registered 10 April 2013.

Plasma cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate levels: A marker of glutamate-nitric oxide-guanyl cyclase activity?

Remifentanil-based anesthesia can lead to acute opioid tolerance and/or hyperalgesia. A low-dose intraoperative infusion of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine did not result in reduced postoperative morphine consumption after remifentanil-based anesthesia in adolescents. This study investigates the potential role of the glutamate-nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine 3'5'-monophosphate (cyclic GMP) pathway in the failure of low-dose ketamine to prevent remifentanil-induced acute opioid tolerance and/or hyperalgesia. Prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial at a university teaching hospital. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS: Thirty-four adolescents receiving remifentanil-based anesthesia for surgical correction of idiopathic scoliosis were randomly assigned to receive either intraoperative ketamine administered as a bolus dose of 0.5 mg/kg in 10 mL of normal saline and a continuous intravenous infusion of 4.0 microg/kg/min or an equal volume of saline. Blood samples were collected before and after the administration of ketamine for analyzing the concentrations of cyclic GMP, ketamine, and norketamine. Blood samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography and an enzyme immunoassay. The median (interquartile range) value of the concentration of plasma cyclic GMP decreased from 23.7 (17.4-26.7) to 14.8 (14.0-17.3) nmol/L after ketamine infusion (p < 0.005) and from 23.9 (16.3-29.2) to 163 (14.5-18.6) nmol/L after saline infusion (p < 0.005). The median value of the concentration of plasma cyclic GMP at the end of ketamine infusion did not differ significantly when compared with that after saline infusion (p = 0.07). The concentration of plasma cyclic GMP was inversely correlated with the concentration of plasma ketamine (r = -0.61). This study suggests that the low dose of intraoperative ketamine infused was insufficient to suppress the NMDA receptor pathway. The concentrations of plasma cyclic GMP may serve as an indirect biological marker of ketamine-induced NMDA receptor antagonism.

Effect of age factor on analgesic efficacy of morphine during recovery from remifentanil-based anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing minor surgery

Objective To evaluate the effect of age factor on the analgesic efficacy of morphine during recovery from remifentanil-based anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing minor surgery. Methods Fifty pediatric patients of both sexes, aged 3-10 yr, with body mass index ≤30 kg/m2, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰor Ⅱ, scheduled for elective tonsillectomy, were divided into preschool group (3-5 yr, n=30) and school-age group (6-10 yr, n=20) according to age.Anesthesia was induced by inhaling 8% sevoflurane and IV morphine 0.1 mg/kg.Pediatric patients were mechanically ventilated after tracheal intubation, and end-tidal pressure of carbon dioxide was maintained between 35-45 mmHg.Anesthesia was maintained by inhalation of 2%-3% sevoflurane and IV infusion of remifentanil 0.2 μg·kg-1·min-1.Pain was evaluated using Faces Pain Scale (FPS) and Face Legs Activity Cry Consolability (FLACC) scale during the recovery period in the postanesthesia care unit.When FPS or FLACC scores ≥4, morphine 0.05 mg/kg was intravenously injected.When pain was still unrelieved after morphine was given for 2 times (time interval 5 min), fentanyl 1 μg/kg was intravenously injected until FPS and FLACC scores <4.The requirement for analgesics and consumption of analgesics (fentanyl consumption was converted into morphine consumption) were recorded.The development of nausea and vomiting, pruritus and respiratory depression was also recorded. Results Compared with preschool group, the requirement for analgesics and consumption of analgesics were significantly decreased during recovery from anesthesia (P 0.05). No pruritus or respiratory depression was found in two groups. Conclusion The analgesic efficacy of morphine is affected by age factors during recovery from remifentanil-based anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing minor surgery, and morphine produces better analgesic efficacy in school-age pediatric patients than in preschool pediatric patients. Key words: Age factors; Morphine; Piperidines; Child; Analgesia

Ketamine does not enhance the quality of recovery following laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled trial

Ketamine has been used as part of the multimodal analgesia technique in the acute perioperative period. The effect of perioperative intravenous small-dose ketamine on the quality of recovery from the patient point-of-view has not been assessed. We hypothesized that low-dose ketamine would enhance recovery following laparoscopic cholecystectomy under total intravenous anesthesia. One hundred thirty five patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: saline, ketamine 0.2mg/kg, or ketamine 0.4mg/kg immediately following the induction of anesthesia and before skin incision. The primary endpoint was assessed using the Quality of Recovery Questionnaire (QoR-40), a 40-item quality of recovery scoring system. In addition, early clinical recovery variables, such as time to eye opening, occurrence of nausea and vomiting, pain score, analgesic use, and length of PACU stay were assessed. No differences were detected in the total or individual dimension scores of the QoR-40 questionnaire. The incidence of nausea, vomiting, and other complications did not differ among the three groups. Small doses of ketamine do not improve the quality of recovery after remifentanil-based anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The Effect of Nefopam Infusion during Laparascopic Cholecystectomy on Postoperative Pain.

Background: While recovery from remifentanil is fast due to its rapid metabolism, it can induce hyperalgesia by activation of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors. Therefore, administration of NMDA receptor antagonists such as ketamine is effective in relieving hyperalgesia caused by remifentanil. A previous study showed that nefopam administration before anesthesia combined with low-dose remifentanil reduced pain and analgesic consumption during the immediate postoperative period. We hypothesized that intraoperative infusion of nefopam during laparoscopic cholecystectomy would be as effective as ketamine in controlling pain during the acute postoperative period after sevoflurane and remifentanil based anesthesia.Methods: Sixty patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into three groups. General anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and effect-site target concentration of remifentanil (4 ng/ml) in all patients. An intravenous bolus of nefopam (0.3 mg/kg) was given, followed by continuous infusion (65 µg/kg/h) in Group N (n=20). An intravenous bolus of ketamine (0.3 mg/kg) was administered, followed by continuous infusion (180 µg/kg/h) in Group K (n=20), and Group C received a bolus and subsequent infusion of normal saline equal to the infusion received by Group K (n=20). We compared postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores and analgesic requirements over the first 8 postoperative hours between groups.Results: The pain scores (VAS) and fentanyl requirements for 1 h after surgery were significantly lower in the nefopam and ketamine groups compared with the control group (p<0.05). There were no differences between the nefopam and ketamine groups. The three groups showed no differences in VAS scores and number of analgesic injections from 1 to 8 h after surgery.Conclusion: Intraoperative nefopam infusion during laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduced opioid requirements and pain scores (VAS) during the early postoperative period after remifentanil-based anesthesia.

Safety of dexmedetomidine- or remifentanil-based topical anesthesia for awake intubation: a meta-analysis

Objective To compare the safety of dexmedetomidine- versus remifentanil-based topical anesthesia for awake intubation. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese Biomedical Database, CNKI and Wanfang Database were searched from January 1990 to April 2016 for randomized controlled trials involving the safety of dexmedetomidine- and remifentanil-based topical anesthesia for awake intubation.The following data were extracted: the rate of successful intubation at first attempt and development of hypertension, hypotension, bradycardia, tachycardia, respiratory depression, bucking, body movement, sore throat, hoarseness and postsurgical memory of intubation.Meta-analysis was conducted using the RevMan 5.3 software. Results Ten studies involving 528 patients were included in this meta-analysis, and there were 262 cases in dexmedetomidine group and 266 cases in remifentanil group.Compared with remifentanil group, the incidence of respiratory depression and postsurgical memory of intubation were significantly decreased (P 0.05). Conclusion Dexmedetomidine-based topical anesthesia provides higher safety than remifentanil-based topical anesthesia when used for awake intubation. Key words: Dexmedetomidine; Piperidines; Intubation, intratracheal; Anesthesia, local; Meta-analysis

Remifentanil-induced alterations in neutrophil numbers after surgery.

BackgroundNeutrophils are the first line of defense against invasive microorganisms during and after surgery. There is a possibility that different opioid analgesics used during surgery have different effects on the leucocyte count. We retrospectively analyzed the numbers of leucocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes just after surgery in patients who received remifentanil-based anesthesia and those who received fentanyl-based anesthesia.In female patients who underwent modified mastectomy or simple mastectomy with resection of a lymph node(s) or with biopsy of a sentinel lymph node(s) between January 2010 and December 2013 (n = 83), propensity score pairwise matching was performed according to the patient’s age and procedure, and forty patients (Remifentanil group and Fentanyl group; n = 20 each) were analyzed.FindingsPostoperative numbers of leucocytes and neutrophils were significantly lower in patients who received remifentanil-based anesthesia than in those who received fentanyl-based anesthesia (p = 0.03, p = 0.014; leucocytes and neutrophils, respectively). The increases in the numbers of leucocytes and neutrophils were significantly lower in the patients in the remifentanil group (p = 0.009, p = 0.0046; increase in leucocytes and neutrophils, respectively).ConclusionsIn conclusion, remifentanil-based anesthesia attenuates postoperative leucocyte and neutrophil counts. It is unknown whether this phenomenon indicates the possibility of immunosuppression. Further studies are required.