Anesthetic management of a pituitary tumor resection with dexmedetomidine

Abstract

Dexmedetomidine (Precedex, Hospira, Lake Forest, Illinois), an alpha-2 agonist, mainly is used for sedating mechanically ventilated uncooperative patients in the intensive care setting. It also is being used by anesthesia providers for multiple purposes, including cardiothoracic surgeries, neurological surgeries, and awake-fiberoptic intubations and for patients with a high risk for airway obstruction. This article reports the investigation of the off-label use of dexmedetomidine as an anesthetic adjunct for a transsphenoidal pituitary tumor resection in an adult. The dexmedetomidine infusion not only provided the patient with added sedation but also decreased the need for narcotics and volatile agents while providing hemodynamic stability.