Author(s): ZOU Zhenyu, ZHONG Zhendong, YANG Xiaolin, LI Lanyang, REN Jiang, SONG Shiqin, Department of Anesthesiology, Second People’s Hospital of Panzhihua
Pages: 277-279
Year: 2016 Issue:  3
Journal: Journal of Clinical Anesthesiology
Keyword:  Dexmedetomidine; Neurotoxicity; Epidural; Analgesia;
Abstract: Objective To observe the neurotoxicity of epidural different dose of dexmedetomidine in combination with 0.75% bupivacaine.Methods Twenty-five rabbits weight 2-3kg without gender tendency and equipped with an epidural lumbar catheter were allocated randomly to five groups with 5cases each.The control group(group C)received injections of 1.5 ml normal saline,0.75%bupivacaine 1.5ml plus normal saline 0.5ml in group B,and the other treatment groups received injections of 0.75% bupivacaine 1 ml plus dexmedetomidine 0.1 μg/kg(group D1),0.75%bupivacaine 1 ml plus dexmedetomidine 0.2μg/kg(group D2)or 0.75% bupivacaine 1 ml plus dexmedetomidine 0.4μg/kg(group D3),in the same volume of 1.5ml.After successive 3-day epidural administration of the drugs and a 3-day observation,the rabbits were killed and the spinal cord was examined under optical and electron microscope.Results Serious damages of neuron were found in 1animal from group D2 and 2from group D3 under optical microscope.There was unclear boundaries between gray and white matter.Some nerve cells appeared necrosis in the grey matter of spinal cord and the number of nerve cells was decreased.Some reversible changes were found in all groups under electron microscope.Conclusion Epidural administration of dexmedetomidine can induce spinal cord and spinal nerves injury dose-dependently,and the motor function can recuperated completely.