Effect of Intravenous Dexmedetomidine on Patient Discomfort in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Under Spinal Anesthesia.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been routinely performed under general anesthesia despite the several disadvantages of general anesthesia compared to regional anesthesia. There are multiple reports that have been published regarding the feasibility of spinal anesthesia for LC associated with many problems such as referred shoulder pain secondary to intra-abdominal pneumoperitoneum; patient anxiety, pain, and discomfort; and inadequate sedation.The aim of our study is to prospectively observe the feasibility of using intravenous dexmedetomidine to abolish patient discomfort and shoulder pain, thus making the patient more comfortable without causing excessive sedation and respiratory depression.