Comparison of Analgesic Requirements in Patients Receiving Nuss Operation Using 2 Different Anesthetic Adjuvants

Comparing Analgesic Requirements in Patients Receiving Nuss Operation Using Remifentanil or Dexmedetomidine as Anesthetic Adjuvants

Nowadays, general anaesthesia is carried under "balanced anesthesia technique" in which many anesthetic adjuvants are used simultaneously, including opioid analgesics in order to reduce the amount of inhalation agents. The most popular adjuvants used are remifentanil, which is an opioid analgesic, and dexmedetomidine. Both of these agents are short acting, can be infused with targeted concentrations, excreted shortly from the body with stable hemodynamics.

Remifentanil, when infused for more than 2 hours, causes hyperalgesia to increase the amount of pain postoperatively as well as the amount of opioid analgesics. However, dexmedetomidine does not cause hyperalgesia and is known to have an opioid -sparing effect. In our center.

In this study, we aim to compare the effects of remifentanil and dexmedetomidine on postoperative pain in patients undergoing Nuss procedure, which is a very painful operation on the chest wall.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adults aged >20
2. Patients undergoing Nuss bar operation (pectus excavatum repair surgery)
3. American Society of Anesthesiologists classification I ~ III

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Drug abuse history
2. Chronic pain in need of continuous opioid analgesics administration
3. History of psychiatric diseases
4. Preoperative bradycardia (heart rate < 50/min) or arrythmia
5. Cardiac diseases other than diabetes or hypertension - coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease
6. Moderate liver or kidney dysfunction
7. Pregnant or breast feeding women
8. Hypersensitivity to the study drugs
9. Patients who do not agree to participate