Dexmedetomidine for awake craniotomy without laryngeal mask.
OBJECTIVE
This paper reports the use of dexmedetomidine in three epileptic patients with cavernous angiomas that underwent awake surgery in order to map their speech areas.


METHODS
Loading dose of dexmedetomidine varied from 1 microg/Kg/h to 3 microg/Kg/h over 20 minutes and maintenance dose from 0.4 microg/Kg/h to 0.8 microg/Kg/h.


RESULTS
There was no occurrence of hemodynamic instability, convulsions or respiratory depression. Patients tolerated well the procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Dexmedetomidine was useful for awake craniotomy as it decreased patients level of consciousness but did not produce agitation. Laryngeal mask was not necessary to keep air ventilation.
Almeida
Antonio Nogueira de
AN
Instituto Neurológico de São Paulo, Hospital São Joaquim, Real e Benemérita Sociedade Portuguesa de Beneficência, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. almeidaan@globo.com
Tavares
Cristiane
C
Tibano
Adriana
A
Sasaki
Seigi
S
Murata
Kazuco Nakai
KN
Marino
Raul
R
D000328:Adult; D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods*; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods*; D020927:Dexmedetomidine; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam; D008875:Middle Aged; D015742:Propofol; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects
D019162:Anesthetics, Combined; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D020927:Dexmedetomidine; D008874:Midazolam; D005283:Fentanyl; D015742:Propofol