Kim, H.C., Lee, Y.H., Jeon, Y.T., Hwang, J.W., Lim, Y.J., Park, J.E., & Park, H.P. (2015). The effect of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on postoperative catheter-related bladder discomfort in patients undergoing transurethral bladder tumour resection: A double-blind randomised study. European Journal of Anaesthesiology, 32, 596–601.
To determine the effect of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on incidence of catheter-related bladder discomfort
Patients were randomized to control and dexmedetomidine. After induction, the dexmedetomidien group had a loading dose of 1 mcg/kg over 10 minutes and then a continuous infusion of 0.5 mcg/kg per hour until the end of surgery. Control patients received an identical volume of normal saline.
The incidence of catheter-related bladder pain was higher in the control group (p = 0.004) and, at one hour after surgery, pain severity was lower in the experimental group (p = 0.041). The incidence of moderate-to-severe pain was higher in the control group (p = 0.006).
Intraoperative dexmedetomidine may reduce postoperative catheter-related bladder pain.
Findings suggest that intraoperative dexmedetomidine may reduce bladder pain associated with an indwelling catheter; however, more well-designed research is needed. This study had multiple limitations.