Intraoperative dexmedetomidine attenuates stress responses in patients undergoing major spine surgery

Surgical stress induces stress hormone release and sympathetic hyperactivation, resulting in hemodynamic instability. Dexmedetomidine has sympatholytic and hemodynamic stabilizing effects. We investigated whether dexmedetomidine could attenuate stress responses in major spine surgery.In this prospective randomized study, 52 patients undergoing spine fusion surgery were randomized to placebo (N.=26) or to dexmedetomidine (N.=26) groups....