Opioid-free Anesthesia in Thyroidectomies

Recovery Parameters and Nociception Levels in Opioid-free Versus Opioid Based Anesthesia for Thyroidectomy

The aim of this study will be to investigate the effect of an opioid-free anesthesia regimen with a mixture of dexmedetomidine-lidocaine-ketamine in the same syringe versus fentanyl analgesia in elective thyroidectomies. Recovery parameters and nociception levels throughout the operation will be evaluated

In the usual anesthetic practice opioids are often administered in the perioperative period for intraoperative analgesia to control the nociceptive pathway of pain and post-surgical pain management. However, in recent years, opioid Free Anesthesia (OFA) has become increasingly popular, in which opioid administration is avoided intraoperatively and minimized or avoided in the postoperative period.

Opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) has been shown to decrease postoperative complications associated with opioids, include sedation, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, physical dependence, tolerance, and respiratory depression.

Therefore, the investigators aim to perform this study to determine a goal-directed approach, which targets adequate antinociception (e.g., by measuring nociceptive/antinociceptive balance) that could reduce the negative effects of excessive drug infusion, prevent postoperative pain and improve patient outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• adult patients
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification I-II
• elective thyroidectomy

Exclusion Criteria:

• body mass index (BMI) >35 kg/m2
• contraindications to local anesthetic administration
• systematic use of analgesic agents preoperatively
• chronic pain syndromes preoperatively
• neurological or psychiatric disease on treatment
• pregnancy
• severe hepatic or renal disease
• history of cardiovascular diseases/ arrhythmias/ conduction abnormalities
• bradycardia(<55 beats/minute)
• drug or alcohol abuse
• language or communication barriers lack of informed consent