Effect of Dexmedetomidine and Two Different Doses of Esketamine Combined Infusion on the Quality of Recovery in Patients Undergoing Modified Radical Mastectomy for Breast Cancer - A Randomised Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effect of a combined infusion of dexmedetomidine and esketamine on the quality of recovery in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy.

METHODS

A total of 135 patients were randomly divided into three groups: dexmedetomidine group (group D) received dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg loading, 0.4 µg/kg/h infusion), dexmedetomidine plus low-dose esketamine group (group DE1) received dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg loading, 0.4 µg/kg/h infusion) and esketamine (0.5 mg/kg loading, 2 µg/kg/min infusion), dexmedetomidine plus high-dose esketamine group (group DE2) received dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg loading, 0.4 µg/kg/h infusion) and esketamine (0.5 mg/kg loading, 4 µg/kg/min infusion). The primary outcome was the overall quality of recovery-15 (QoR-15) scores at 1 day after surgery. The secondary endpoints were total QoR-15 scores at 3 days after surgery, propofol and remifentanil requirement, awaking and extubation time, postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores, rescue analgesic, nausea and vomiting, bradycardia, excessive sedation, nightmares, and agitation.

RESULTS

The overall QoR-15 scores were much higher in groups DE1 and DE2 than in groups D 1 and D 3 days after surgery (P < 0.05). VAS pain scores at 6, 12, 24 h postoperatively, propofol and remifentanil requirements were significantly lower in groups DE1 and DE2 than in group D (P < 0.05). Compared with group D, awaking time, extubation time, and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay were significantly prolonged in groups DE1 and DE2 (P < 0.05) and were much longer in group DE2 than in group DE1 (P < 0.05). The proportion of postoperative rescue analgesics and bradycardia was higher and the incidence of excessive sedation was lower in group D than in groups DE1 and DE2 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Dexmedetomidine plus esketamine partly improved postoperative recovery quality and decreased the incidence of bradycardia but prolonged awaking time, extubation time, and PACU stay, especially dexmedetomidine plus 4 µg/kg/min esketamine.