The Effect of Dexmedetomidine Infusion after Craniotomy on Sedation, and Its Complications in the Intensive Care Unit and Its Comparison with the Control Group

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of administering dexmedetomidine on pain and hemodynamic parameters of patients after craniotomy.

Materials and Methods: The present study is a randomized clinical trial that was performed on 60 patients undergoing craniotomy. The basic information of the patients was collected, their vital signs were recorded, and after the completion of the surgery, the intervention group received dexmedetomidine, and the control group received a normal saline infusion. Then, at the 30^th minute and 4^th, 8^th, 12^th, 16^th, 20^th, and 24^th hour after the patient's admission to the recovery, the degree of sedation in the patients and the satisfaction of the patient’s nurse based on the pain Visual Analogue Scale were evaluated. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding age, sex, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation, at the 30^th minute and 4^th, 8^th, 12^th, 16^th, 20^th and 24^th hour and sedation level at 12^th, 16^th and 20^th hour after the patient's admission to the recovery (P> 0.05). Sedation level and the scores of the satisfaction of the patient’s nurse in the dexmedetomidine group were significantly higher than in the control group (P <0.001).

Conclusion: The use of dexmedetomidine is associated with better sedation scores in the first 8 hours after the patient's admission to the recovery and pain Visual Analogue Score (VAS) compared to the placebo. Hemodynamic parameters were similar between the two groups.