Opioid-free anaesthesia for patients undergoing ENT surgery versus standard opioid anaesthesia- A prospective observational study.

Dinesh V.; Mithun B.; Elumalai, Vinoth Kumar; Selvakumaran P.; Grace, K. Sheela

Opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) is gaining recognition for its potential to mitigate opioid-related complications in surgical patients. This prospective observational study evaluates the outcomes of OFA in comparison to standard Opioid-based Anaesthesia (OA) in patients undergoing ENT surgery. Sixty patients were allocated equally into the OFA and OA groups. The primary outcomes assessed were postoperative pain scores and analgesia requirements. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV), oxygen desaturation, and cardiovascular stability. The baseline demographics, laboratory parameters, and intraoperative haemodynamic monitoring indicated no significant differences between the groups, thereby confirming that the baseline conditions were comparable. Following the surgical procedure, patients who underwent OFA exhibited markedly lower pain scores and a decreased requirement for rescue analgesia. The average VNS pain scores recorded were 3.4 and 2.7 at 1 and 6 hours post-extubation, respectively, in contrast to the OA group, which reported scores of 5.1 and 4.9. Furthermore, the incidence of oxygen desaturation episodes and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was significantly reduced in the OFA group, with rates of 5.4% compared to 15.2% and 13.2% versus 27.9%, respectively. The OFA group exhibited enhanced cardiovascular stability, characterised by a reduction in the occurrences of bradycardia and hypotension. OFA demonstrates effective analgesic properties and minimises opioid-related adverse effects, indicating its potential as a safer alternative to OA in the context of ENT surgery. Additional research is necessary to validate these results and enhance OFA protocols within clinical settings.

POSTOPERATIVE nausea & vomiting; POSTOPERATIVE pain; SURGICAL complications; INTRAOPERATIVE monitoring; OPERATIVE surgery

Pravara Medical Review, 2024, Vol 16, Issue 4, p75

0975-0533

Academic Journal

10.36848/PMR/2024/444000.10785