Dexmedetomidine for Prevention of Postoperative Delirium After Intracranial Operation for Brain Tumor

Postoperative delirium is common after major surgery, and is associated with adverse outcomes. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have shown that perioperative administration of dexmedetomidine may decrease the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients after either cardiac or non-cardiac surgery. However, neurosurgical patients are often excluded in clinical trials of postoperative delirium. In this prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial with two parallel arms, ICU admitted adult patients after intracranial operation for brain tumor will be enrolled. Low-dose dexmedetomidine will be applied during the early postoperative phase. The investigators aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of low-dose dexmedetomidine for prevention of postoperative delirium in this patient population. The primary hypothesis is that, compared to the placebo group, the prophylactic use of low-dose dexmedetomidine can decrease the incidence of postoperative delirium without significant adverse events in patients after intracranial operation for brain tumor.