Efficacy of Opioid-free Anesthesia in Reducing Postoperative Respiratory Depression in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy

Efficacy of Opioid-free Anesthesia in Reducing Postoperative Respiratory Depression in Children Undergoing Tonsillectomy: a Pilot Study

The objective of this trial is to determine whether an opioid-free general anesthetic (OFA) technique utilizing ketamine, dexmedetomidine, lidocaine, and gabapentin can help reduce postoperative respiratory depression in the post-anesthesia care unit and ward in children with sleep-disordered breathing undergoing tonsillectomy when compared with traditional opioid-containing techniques. It is expected that this OFA regimen will have a measurable reduction on postoperative respiratory depression in children with sleep-disordered breathing.

The objective of this trial is to determine whether an opioid-free general anesthetic can help reduce postoperative respiratory depression in the post-anesthesia care unit and ward in children with sleep-disordered breathing undergoing tonsillectomy when compared with traditional opioid-containing techniques.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged 0-12 years with Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) who are scheduled for elective Tonsillectomy/AdenoTonsillectomy (T/AT) will be recruited at Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Exclusion Criteria:

• age > 12; American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Classification > IV; significant cardiorespiratory, neurological, craniofacial, hepatic, renal, or genetic disorders, excluding SDB; concomitant surgical procedures other than myringotomy and tubes; and allergy to any of the study drugs