Comparative Study between the Effect of Dexmedetomidine or Magnesium Sulphate Infusion on the Recovery Profile and Postoperative Analgesia in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery

Background: The increasing incidence of morbid obesity is a crisis in national healthcare which has precipitated an increase in bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for obesity, with a mean percentage of weight loss after 2 years of 68.2% for laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Methods: This prospective randomized controlled study was carried out in Tanta University Hospitals in General Surgery Department on patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic bariatric surgery from July 2019 to June 2020. The study has been approved by the Institutional ethical committee at Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University with approval number (33161/05/19)

Results: There was a significant decrease in heart rate, at T2 to T9, in group II (Dexmedetomidine group) and group III (Mg sulphate group) compared to group I (Control group). There was a significant decrease in mean arterial blood pressure, at T2 to T9, in group II and group III compared to group I. Visual analog scale for pain (VAS) was decreased significantly in group II and group III compared to group I. There was a negative increase in nausea and vomiting in group I than group II and group III. Bradycardia, hypotension and postoperative hypoxemia were insignificantly different among the three groups.

Conclusions: In patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgeries, both dexmedetomidine and magnesium sulphate were safe and effective as regards early recovery profile, delayed time for the first request of analgesia and less opioid consumption.