Opioids effectively manage perioperative pain but have numerous adverse effects. Opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) eliminates intraoperative opioid use; however, evidence for its use in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is limited. This study assessed the effect of OFA using ketamine in VATS patients compared to opioid-sparing anesthesia (OSA). A total of 91 patients undergoing VATS lobectomy or segmentectomy were randomized to either the OFA group (ketamine) or the OSA group (remifentanil). The primary outcome was the quality of recovery (QoR) on postoperative day (POD) 1, measured with the QoR-40 questionnaire. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain scores and adverse events. Both groups had comparable baseline and surgical characteristics. On POD 1, the QoR-40 score was higher in the OFA group than in the OSA group (164.3 ± 10.8 vs. 158.7 ± 10.6; mean difference: 5.6, 95% CI: 1.1, 10.0; p = 0.015), though this did not meet the pre-specified minimal clinically important difference of 6.3. The visual analog scale score was lower in the OFA group as compared to the OSA group at 0-1 h (4.2 ± 2.3 vs. 6.2 ± 2.1; p < 0.001) and 1-4 h after surgery (3.4 ± 1.8 vs. 4.6 ± 1.9; p = 0.003). The OFA group had a lower incidence of PONV (2 [4.4%] vs. 9 [19.6%]; p = 0.049) and postoperative shivering (4 [8.9%] vs. 13 [28.3%]; p = 0.030) than the OSA group at 0-1 h after surgery. Using OFA with ketamine proved feasible, as indicated by the stable intraoperative hemodynamics and absence of intraoperative awareness. Patients undergoing VATS with OFA using ketamine showed a statistically significant, but clinically insignificant, QoR improvement compared to those receiving OSA with remifentanil.

BACKGROUND: OFA (Opioid-free anesthesia) has the potential to reduce the occurrence of opioid-related adverse events and enhance postoperative recovery. Our research aimed to investigate whether OFA, combining esketamine and dexmedetomidine, could serve as an alternative protocol to traditional OBA (opioid-based anesthesia) in shoulder arthroscopy, particularly in terms of reducing PONV (postoperative nausea and vomiting).
METHODS: A total of 60 patients treated with shoulder arthroscopy from September 2021 to September 2022 were recruited. Patients were randomly assigned to the OBA group (n = 30) and OFA group (n = 30), receiving propofol-remifentanil TIVA (total intravenous anesthesia) and esketamine-dexmedetomidine intravenous anesthesia, respectively. Both groups received ultrasound-guided ISBPB(interscalene brachial plexus block)for postoperative analgesia.
RESULTS: The incidence of PONV on the first postoperative day in the ward (13.3% vs. 40%, P < 0.05) was significantly lower in the OFA group than in the OBA group. Moreover, the severity of PONV was less severe in the OFA group than in the OBA group in PACU (post-anesthesia care unit) (0 [0, 0] vs. 0 [0, 3], P<0.05 ) and in the ward 24 h postoperatively ( 0 [0, 0] vs. 0 [0, 2.25], P<0.05). Additionally, the OFA group experienced a significantly shorter length of stay in the PACU compared to the OBA group (39.4 ± 6.76 min vs. 48.7 ± 7.90 min, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the OBA with propofol-remifentanil, the OFA with esketamine- dexmedetomidine proved to be feasible for shoulder arthroscopy, resulting in a reduced incidence of PONV and a shorter duration of stay in the PACU.
BACKGROUND: The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No: ChiCTR2100047355), 12/06/2021.

UNASSIGNED: Dexmedetomidine, an α2-adrenergic receptor (α2-AR) agonist, is extensively used in clinical and animal studies owing to its sedative, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects. The diverse range of research domains associated with dexmedetomidine poses challenges in defining pivotal research directions. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a qualitative and quantitative bibliometric study in the field of dexmedetomidine over the past decade to establish current research trends and emerging frontiers.
UNASSIGNED: Relevant publications in the field of dexmedetomidine between 2014 and 2023 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection database. The bibliometric analysis, incorporating statistical and visual analyses, was conducted using CiteSpace (6.1.R6) and R (4.3.1).
UNASSIGNED: The present study encompassed a total of 5,482 publications, exhibiting a consistent upward trend over the past decade. The United States and its institutions had the highest centrality. Ji, Fuhai, and Ebert, Thomas J. were identified as the most productive author and the most cited author, respectively. As anticipated, the most cited journal was Anesthesiology. Moreover, cluster analysis of cited references and co-occurrence of keywords revealed that recent studies were primarily focused on sedation, delirium, and opioid-free anesthesia. Finally, a timeline view of keywords clusters and keywords burst demonstrated that primary research frontiers were stress response, neuroinflammation, delirium, opioid-free anesthesia, peripheral nerve block, and complications.
UNASSIGNED: Current research trends and directions are focused on sedation, delirium, and opioid-free anesthesia, as evidenced by our results. The frontier of future research is anticipated to encompass basic investigations into dexmedetomidine, including stress response and neuroinflammation, as well as clinical studies focusing on delirium, opioid-free anesthesia, peripheral nerve block, and associated complications.

UNASSIGNED: This study was designed to prospectively evaluate the feasibility of an opioid-free anesthesia protocol and describe the quality of recovery and management of postoperative analgesia in dogs after a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO).
UNASSIGNED: In total, 20 dogs presented for TPLO were included. After premedication with intravenous (IV) medetomidine (0.005-0.007 mg/kg) and midazolam (0.2 mg/kg), the dogs were anesthetized using ketamine (2 mg/kg) and propofol and maintained with isoflurane and ketamine CRI (0.6 mg/kg/h). Sciatic and femoral nerve blocks were performed with bupivacaine 0.5% (0.087 +/- 0.01 and 0.09 +/- 0.02 mL/kg, respectively). Meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg IV) was administered intraoperatively, after osteotomy. Fentanyl (0.002 mg/kg IV) was administered intraoperatively, as rescue analgesia in the case of sustained increase in cardiorespiratory variables. Two pain scores (French 4A-VET and Glasgow short form) were performed at conscious sternal recumbency and 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 20 h after extubation and compared to baseline using a Friedman test followed by a Nemenyi post-hoc test. The time taken for the first food intake and urination was reported.
UNASSIGNED: Intraoperative opioid-free anesthesia was feasible in 11 dogs, whereas 9 dogs received fentanyl once during arthrotomy. No opioid postoperative rescue analgesia was required. Food intake occurred within 6 h, and all dogs were discharged after 24 h without any complication.
UNASSIGNED: Total opioid-free postoperative analgesia was achieved in all dogs, with adequate recoveries. Although opioid-free anesthesia was feasible in 55% of the population, a single dose of fentanyl was necessary in 45% of the dogs during arthrotomy.

Opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) is a heterogeneous group of general anesthesia techniques in which the intraoperative use of opioids is eliminated. This strategy aims to decrease the risk of complications and improve the patient\'s safety and comfort. Such potential advantages are particularly beneficial for selected groups of patients, among them obese patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Opioids have been traditionally used as an element of balanced anesthesia, and replacing them requires using a combination of coanalgesics and various types of local and regional anesthesia, which also have their side effects, limitations, and potential disadvantages. Moreover, despite the growing amount of evidence, the empirical data on the superiority of OFA compared to standard anesthesia with multimodal analgesia are contradictory, and potential benefits in many studies are being questioned. Additionally, little is known about the long-term sequelae of such a strategy. Considering the above-mentioned issues, this study aims to present the potential benefits, risks, and difficulties of implementing OFA in bariatric surgery, considering the current state of knowledge and literature.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) in laparoscopic gastrectomy and identify the psychological factors that could influence the efficacy of OFA.
METHODS: 120 patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy were allocated to either the opioid-based anesthesia group (OA) (n = 60) or the OFA (n = 60) group. Remifentanil was administered to the OA group intraoperatively, whereas dexmedetomidine and lidocaine were administered to the OFA group. The interaction effect of the psychological factors on OFA was analyzed using the aligned rank transform for nonparametric factorial analyses.
RESULTS: The opioid requirement for 24 h after surgery was lower in the OFA group than in the OA group (fentanyl equivalent dose 727 vs. 650 μg, p = 0.036). The effect of OFA was influenced by the pain catastrophizing scale (p = 0.041), temporal pain summation (p = 0.046), and pressure pain tolerance (p = 0.034). This indicates that patients with pain catastrophizing or high pain sensitivity significantly benefited from OFA, whereas patients without these characteristics did not.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that OFA with dexmedetomidine and lidocaine effectively reduced the postoperative 24-h opioid requirements following laparoscopic gastrectomy, which was modified by baseline pain catastrophizing and pain sensitivity.
BACKGROUND: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Yonsei University Health System Gangnam Severance Hospital (#3-2021-0295) and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05076903).

The use of opioid-sparing and opioid-free strategies in children can provide adequate analgesia while decreasing the risk of adverse events and contributing to the ongoing battle against the opioid crisis. However, every child must be evaluated individually so that a safe and efficacious perioperative pain management plan can be created. A working knowledge of the risks and benefits of opioids, nonopioid adjuncts, and regional anesthesia along with the ethical considerations for balancing stewardship and beneficent care is essential to the success of these strategies. As perioperative practitioners caring for children, we have an obligation to consider opioid-sparing and opioid-free strategies to promote overall best outcomes. We can make a difference, one child at a time.

UNASSIGNED: Opioids form the basis of perioperative pain management but are associated with multiple side effects. In opioid-free anesthesia (OFA), several non-opioid drugs or neuraxial/regional blocks are used as substitutes for opioids. Ketamine, a N-methyl-d-aspartate antagonist, provides intense analgesia. However, there is a shortage of literature on the effects of ketamine-based OFA on hemodynamics (HD) and postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing thoracolumbar spine surgery.
UNASSIGNED: This prospective randomized controlled trial included 60 adult patients. The patients in Group OFA (n = 30) received OFA with ketamine and ketofol (1:5) infusion, and those in Group OBA (n = 30) received opioid-based anesthesia (OBA) with fentanyl and propofol infusion. The postoperative pain-free period, pain scores, rescue analgesia, intraoperative HDs, and postoperative complications were assessed.
UNASSIGNED: The mean pain-free period in Group OFA (9.86 ± 1.43 hr) was significantly higher than that in Group OBA (6.93 ± 1.93 hr) (P = 0.002). During the postoperative 48 hours, the total requirement of fentanyl was considerably lower in Group OFA (P < 0.05). There was a significantly higher incidence of hypertension in Group OFA (46%) and hypotension (43%) in Group OBA (43%), respectively. Postoperative nausea vomiting (PONV) was more common in Group OBA at the 2nd and 6th hr (P = 0.046 and P = 0.038).
UNASSIGNED: OFA with ketamine and ketofol provided adequate postoperative analgesia with a lower incidence of PONV after spine surgery. However, hypertension in the ketamine group and hypotension in the propofol group required fine titration of the infusion rate of drugs during the intraoperative period.

In the past, quadratus lumborum block (QLB) was mostly used for postoperative analgesia in patients, and few anesthesiologists applied it during surgery with opioid-free anesthesia (OFA). Consequently, it is still unclear whether QLB in the supine position can provide perfect analgesia and inhibit anesthetic stress during surgery under the OFA strategy. To observe the clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided quadratus lumborum block (US-QLB) in the supine position with OFA for lower abdominal and pelvic surgery. A total of 122 patients who underwent lower abdominal or pelvic surgery in People\'s Hospital of Wanning between March 2021 and July 2022 were selected and divided into a quadratus lumborum block group (Q) (n = 62) and control group (C) (n = 60) according to the random number table method. Both groups underwent general anesthesia combined with QLB in the supine position. After sedation, unilateral or bilateral QLB was performed via the ultrasound guided anterior approach based on images resembling a \"human eye\" and \"baby in a cradle\" under local anesthesia according to the needs of the operative field. In group Q, 20 ml of 0.50% lidocaine and 0.20% ropivacaine diluted in normal saline (NS) were injected into each side. In group C, 20 ml of NS was injected into each side. The values of BP, HR, SPO2, SE, RE, SPI, NRS, Steward score, dosage of propofol, dexmedetomidine, and rocuronium, the number of patients who needed remifentanil, propofol, or diltiazem, puncture point, block plane, duration of anesthesia, catheter extraction, and wakefulness during the operation were monitored. There were no significant differences in the general data, number of cases requiring additional remifentanil, propofol, or diltiazem treatment, as well as puncture point and puncture plane between the two groups (P > 0.05). HR, SBP, and DBP values were higher in group Q than in group C at T1; HR, SPI, and SE, while RE values were lower in group Q than in group C at T3, SE, and RE; the Steward score was higher in group Q than in group C at T4 and T5, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The extubation and awake times were lower in group Q than in group C, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The SE, RE, and SPI values were lower at T1, T2, T3, and T4 than at T0. The Steward scores at T4 and T5 were higher in group Q than in group C, and were lower than at T0, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in the effectiveness of postoperative analgesia between the two groups at t1, t3 and t4 (P < 0.05). US-QLB in the supine position with OFA is effective in patients undergoing lower abdominal or pelvic surgery with stable intraoperative vital signs, complete recovery and better postoperative analgesia.

UNASSIGNED: Seeking effective multimodal analgesia and anesthetic regimen is the basis for the success of ERAS. Opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) is a multimodal anesthesia associating hypnotics, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists, local anesthetics, anti-inflammatory drugs and α-2 agonists. Although previous studies have confirmed that OFA is safe and feasible for VATS surgery, there is great heterogeneity in how to select and combine anti-harm drugs to replace opioids. We hypothesized that the reduced opioid use during and after surgery allowed by OFA compared with standard of care will be associated with a reduction of postoperative opioid-related adverse events and an improvement in the quality of rehabilitation of patients after partial VATS lung resection.
UNASSIGNED: The TEDOFA Study is a prospective double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial with a concealed allocation of patients scheduled to undergo elective partial VATS pneumonectomy 1:1 to receive either a standard anesthesia protocol or an OFA. A total of 146 patients were recruited in the study. Primary endpoint was the 15-item recovery quality scale (QoR-15) at 24 hours after surgery.
UNASSIGNED: This trial has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of Beijing Friendship Hospital of China Capital University. The TEDOFA trial study protocol was approved on 27 February 2023. The trial started recruiting patients after registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry.
UNASSIGNED: ChiCTR2300069210; Pre-results.