To investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine (DXE)-induced anesthesia upon recovery from anesthesia after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

In this prospective study, 36 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy in Lingnan Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between May 2013 and March 2016 were recruited. According to random number table method, all patients were divided into the DXE group (n=18) and control group (n=18). In the DXE group, 13 cases were males and 5 females, aged (48±5) years old on average. During the induction of anesthesia, DXE with the concentration of 1 μg/kg was continuously intravenous pumped. In the control group, 12 cases were males and 6 females, aged (50±3) years old on average. During the induction of anesthesia, an equivalent volume of physiological saline was continuously intravenous pumped. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. The spontaneous respiration recovery time, revival time and extubation time between two groups were compared using t test. The incidence of postoperative complications was compared by Chi-square test.

The spontaneous respiration recovery time, revival time and extubation time in the DXE group was respectively (1.7±0.4), (4.1±1.0) and (3.8±1.9) min, significantly shorter than (4.1±0.6), (11.6±2.2) and (12.2±3.8) min in the control group (t=-14.12, -13.17, -8.39; P<0.05). Four cases of chill and 5 cases of choking cough were observed in the DXE group, while 9 and 12 in the control group, and significant differences were observed in the incidence of chill and choking cough between two groups (χ²=4.866, 5.461; P<0.05). The postoperative pain verbal rating scale (VRS) in the DXE group was 2.6±1.5, significantly lower than 4.1±1.7 in the control group (t=-2.81, P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the blood pressure was more effectively controlled in the DXE group. No cardiovascular adverse event was observed in the DXE group.

DXE-induced anesthesia can accelerate the recovery from anesthesia after resection of HCC, enhance the quality of revival, reduce the incidence of postoperative anesthesia related complications and cardiovascular adverse events, and has favorable analgesic effects.