POSTOPERATIVE EFFECTS OF DEXMEDETOMIDINE ON ELECTIVE LUMBOSACRAL 1-3 LEVEL SURGERIES AT A COMMUNITY CARE CENTER

Background: Effective anesthetic management is essential for managing elective orthopedic spine surgeries. Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a highly selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, has emerged as a promising adjunct in anesthetic practice. Using DEX after surgery can provide benefits such as reduced opioid requirements, stable hemodynamics, and minimal respiratory depression (Hwang et al., 2015; Okello et al., 2018). However, its postoperative outcomes are not well studied. Purpose: This quality improvement project aimed to assess the effects of intraoperative DEX administration on hemodynamic stability, pain control, and respiratory outcomes in patients undergoing elective lumbosacral spine surgeries. Methods: Utilizing a descriptive correlational design and retrospective quantitative data analysis data from 50 patient charts, aged 35-75 undergoing 1-3 level lumbosacral spine surgeries at a tertiary community care hospital, were collected and analyzed to explore the postoperative effects of using DEX as compared to not using DEX. Results: No significant differences were found between the DEX and non-DEX groups in terms of hemodynamics stability, pain scores, or respiratory events. However, DEX was associated with a safe postoperative profile, with no increase in adverse effects like hypotension or bradycardia. Conclusion: DEX did not significantly improve outcomes, but it showed evidence of having a safe profile, making it a viable option in multimodal anesthesia. Further investigation is needed to explore its impact on opioid use and broader surgical outcomes.
Keywords: dexmedetomidine, lumbosacral spine surgery, hemodynamic stability, respiratory events, pain management, postoperative outcomes