Work

Dexmedetomidine versus Subanaesthetic Ketamine for Opioid-sparing Anaesthesia During Lumbar Spine Surgery Under a Standardised Surgical Pleth Index-guided Analgesic Protocol: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Year: 2026

Type: article

Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial

Abstract: Objective: Lumbar spine surgery is associated with significant perioperative pain and increased opioid requirements. Objective nociception-guided opioid administration using the surgical pleth index (SPI) may facilitate individualised intraoperative analgesic titration. Dexmedetomidine and subanaesthetic ketamine are commonly used opioid-sparing adjuvants; however, their effects under SPI-guided analgesia remain inadequately studied. Methods: ) was administered when SPI exceeded 50, as indicated by Adequacy of Anaesthesia monitoring, allowing objective nociception-guided opioid titration. The primary outcome was intraoperative supplemental fentanyl consumption. Secondary outcomes included extubation time, postoperative pain scores, 24-hour fentanyl consumption, and Quality of Recovery (QoR-15) scores. Results: < 0.001), with lower consumption in Group D than in Group S, and intermediate consumption in Group K. Extubation time was comparable among the groups. Dexmedetomidine resulted in lower postoperative visual analogue scale scores than saline at all time points; scores also differed between dexmedetomidine and ketamine at 1 hour and between ketamine and saline at 12 hours. QoR-15 scores differed significantly among the groups, with both active treatment groups showing improved recovery compared with the saline group. Conclusion: Within a standardised SPI-guided analgesic protocol, both dexmedetomidine and subanaesthetic ketamine reduced intraoperative opioid requirements without prolonging extubation time compared with saline during lumbar spine surgery. Dexmedetomidine was associated with lower postoperative opioid consumption and improved postoperative recovery compared with saline. Both interventions demonstrated comparable intraoperative opioid-sparing efficacy.

Source: Türk anesteziyoloji ve reanimasyon derneği dergisi

DOI: 10.4274/tjar.2026.262419

Authors: Gowthaman Arivuselvan, Srinivasan Swaminathan, Rajasekar Ramadurai, Prasanna Udupi Bidkar

Institution: Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research

Language: English

Topic: Anesthesia and Pain Management

Subfield: Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W7224925578