title: Comparison of the influence of two different constant-rate infusions (dexmedetomidine versus morphine) on anaesthetic requirements, cardiopulmonary function and recovery quality in isoflurane anaesthetized horses.
abstract: Twenty adult healthy horses undergoing elective surgery were involved in this prospective, blinded, clinical study. Horses were randomly allocated to receive a constant rate infusion (CRI) of morphine or dexmedetomidine. After induction, anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in oxygen/air and mechanical ventilation applied. The end-tidal isoflurane concentration (FÉISO) was initially set at 0.9% and adjusted by the anaesthetist, to maintain a light surgical plane of anaesthesia, according to an objective flow-chart. The cardiopulmonary function was only minimally different between groups and maintained within clinically normal ranges. Less ketamine was required, FÉISO was lower after 1h and fewer alterations in the anaesthetic depth were needed in horses receiving dexmedetomidine, with better recoveries. One horse receiving morphine developed post-operative colic and pulmonary oedema and two showed box-walking behaviour. This study showed that a dexmedetomidine CRI produced a more stable anaesthetic depth, reduced isoflurane requirements and better recoveries, without post-operative complications compared with a morphine CRI.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anaesthesia of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ghent, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: miguel.gozalomarcilla@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gozalo-Marcilla
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Steblaj
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schauvliege
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duchateau
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gasthuys
mesh_terms: D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006736:Horses; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007530:Isoflurane; D007649:Ketamine; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D009294:Narcotics; D020927:Dexmedetomidine; D007649:Ketamine; D009020:Morphine; D007530:Isoflurane
keywords: Cardiopulmonary effects; Constant rate infusion; Dexmedetomidine; Horses; Isoflurane; Morphine; Recovery