The Neuroprotective Effects of Dexmedetomidine During Brain Surgery

Summary

Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a Alpha-2 specific agonist, is a common ICU sedation medication. In brain tumor resection craniotomy, it is proven to be effective in improving postoperative hypertension and tachycardia, mitigates postoperative nausea and vomiting and relives postoperative pain. In addition, many animal experiments show that DEX inhibits the proapoptosis in the mitochondrial in vivo and therefore avoids neuronal injury. It is also reported to be neuroprotective to isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity and to improve cerebral focal ischemic region (penumbra). However, the neuroprotective effects were never investigated clinically in patients undergoing brain tumor resection surgery.

Timeline

Start

2017-04-24

Primary completion

2020-04-14

Completion

2020-04-14

Outcome

Met primary endpoint

paper Fewer patients in the dexmedetomidine group developed new postoperative neurological complications (26.3% vs. 43.8%; P = 0.031) PMID 34101714 ↗

Publications

• Chen PH, Tsuang FY, Lee CT, Yeh YC, Cheng HL, Lee TS, Chang YW, Cheng YJ, Wu CY. Neuroprotective effects of intraoperative dexmedetomidine versus saline infusion combined with goal-directed haemodynamic therapy for patients undergoing cranial surgery: A randomised controlled trial. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2021 Dec 1;38(12):1262-1271. doi: 10.1097/EJA.0000000000001532.

Drugs

Indications