Clinical evaluation of the effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine on the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation in patients undergoing thyroid surgeries.

BACKGROUND: The procedures in anesthesia such as laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation are the most important skills to be mastered by an anesthesiologist. However, they produce marked cardiovascular responses such as hypertension and tachycardia. Various drugs have been used to suppress this response. One of those is a novel centrally acting α2 agonist - dexmedetomidine. It has numerous uses in anesthesia as it is having sedative, analgesic, hypnotic, and opioid sparing effects. It is also known to suppress the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and intubation.

AIMS: This study is aimed to know the effect of intravenous dexmedetomidine 0.6 μg/kg body weight on hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation in patients undergoing thyroid surgeries.

SETTING AND DESIGN: Sixty patients of American Society of Anaesthesiologist health status class I and II scheduled for thyroid surgery under general anesthesia were considered in this prospective randomized controlled double-blind study. The study population was randomly divided into two groups with 30 patients in each group using sealed envelopes containing the name of the group and patient is asked to pick up the envelope.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty euthyroid patients, scheduled for thyroid surgeries was randomly divided into two groups with 30 patients in each group. Group A ( n = 30) received injection dexmedetomidine 0.6 μg/kg body weight and Group B ( n = 30) received 10 ml of normal saline. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded at regular intervals after intubation.

RESULTS: Statistically significant decrease in HR, SBP, DBP, and MAP were observed in Group A after intubation when compared to Group B.

CONCLUSION: We conclude that dexmedetomidine 0.6 μg/kg body weight obtunds the hemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation in patients undergoing thyroid surgeries.