Cardiopulmonary and isoflurane-sparing effects of epidural or intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine in cats undergoing surgery with epidural lidocaine.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the cardiorespiratory, anesthetic-sparing effects and quality of anesthetic recovery after epidural and constant rate intravenous (IV) infusion of dexmedetomidine (DEX) in cats given a low dose of epidural lidocaine under propofol-isoflurane anesthesia and submitted to elective ovariohysterectomy.


METHODS
Randomized, blinded clinical trial.


METHODS
Twenty-one adult female cats (mean body weight: 3.1 +/- 0.4 kg).


METHODS
Cats received DEX (4 microg kg(-1), IM). Fifteen minutes later, anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with isoflurane. Cats were divided into three groups. In GI cats received epidural lidocaine (1 mg kg(-1), n = 7), in GII cats were given epidural lidocaine (1 mg kg(-1)) + DEX (4 microg kg(-1), n = 7), and in GIII cats were given epidural lidocaine (1 mg kg(-1)) + IV constant rate infusion (CRI) of DEX (0.25 microg kg(-1) minute(-1), n = 7). Variables evaluated included heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (f(R)), systemic arterial pressures, rectal temperature (RT), end-tidal CO(2), end-tidal isoflurane concentration (e'ISO), arterial blood gases, and muscle tone. Anesthetic recovery was compared among groups by evaluation of times to recovery, HR, f(R), RT, and degree of analgesia. A paired t-test was used to evaluate pre-medication variables and blood gases within groups. anova was used to compare parametric data, whereas Friedman test was used to compare muscle relaxation.


RESULTS
Epidural and CRI of DEX reduced HR during anesthesia maintenance. Mean +/- SD e'ISO ranged from 0.86 +/- 0.28% to 1.91 +/- 0.63% in GI, from 0.70 +/- 0.12% to 0.97 +/- 0.20% in GII, and from 0.69 +/- 0.12% to 1.17 +/- 0.25% in GIII. Cats in GII and GIII had longer recovery periods than in GI.


CONCLUSIONS
Epidural and CRI of DEX significantly decreased isoflurane consumption and resulted in recovery of better quality and longer duration, despite bradycardia, without changes in systemic blood pressure.
Souza
Sérgio S
SS
Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Intelisano
Tatiana R
TR
De Biaggi
Christianni P
CP
Moura
Cláudio A
CA
Selmi
André L
AL
Dias
Ricardo A
RA
Cortopassi
Sílvia R G
SR
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000662:veterinary; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000818:Animals; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D002415:Cats; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D007268:Injections, Epidural / Q000662:veterinary; D007530:Isoflurane; D008012:Lidocaine; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D056152:Respiratory Rate / Q000187:drug effects
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D020927:Dexmedetomidine; D008012:Lidocaine; D007530:Isoflurane