Abstract:Objective To investigate the anesthetic effect of remimazolam on laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy and its impact on patients' cognitive function and stress response.Methods A total of 102 patients undergoing laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy at Nantong Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2021 to December 2022 were randomly divided into two groups: the propofol group and the remimazolam group, with 51 patients in each group. The propofol group received propofol anesthesia induction and intravenous infusion of remifentanil and propofol for anesthesia maintenance, while the remimazolam group received remimazolam anesthesia induction and intravenous infusion of remifentanil and remimazolam for anesthesia maintenance. The surgical time and anesthetic effect were compared between the two groups. Hemodynamic parameters and stress indicators during the perioperative period were compared between the two groups. Postoperative cognitive function and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results The sedation success rate was 100% in both groups. The time to disappearance of eyelash reflex and the time for the anesthetic trend index (NI) to decrease to D0 (D0 indicates a shallow depth of anesthesia, with patients responding to external stimuli but without consciousness) were shorter in the propofol group than in the remimazolam group (P < 0.05), while the time to awakening was longer in the propofol group than in the remimazolam group (P < 0.05). The average arterial pressure (MAP) and oxygen saturation (SaO2) at 5 minutes after anesthesia induction, 30 minutes after the start of surgery, at the end of surgery, and 5 minutes after extubation were compared between the two groups. The results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed: 1. The differences in MAP at different time points were statistically significant (P < 0.05), while the differences in SaO2 were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). 2. The differences in MAP between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05), while the differences in SaO2 were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). 3. The differences in the trends of MAP changes between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05), while the differences in the trends of SaO2 changes were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and aldosterone (ALD) levels before surgery, at the end of surgery, and 48 hours after surgery were compared between the two groups. The results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed: 1. The differences in serum ACTH and ALD levels at different time points were statistically significant (P < 0.05). 2. There were no statistically significant differences in serum ACTH and ALD levels between the two groups (P > 0.05). 3. There were no statistically significant differences in the trends of serum ACTH and ALD levels between the two groups (P > 0.05). The incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, injection pain, and respiratory depression in the propofol group was higher than that in the remimazolam group (P < 0.05).Conclusion Compared with propofol, remimazolam has a slower onset of action in laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy, but has less impact on hemodynamics and cognitive function, reduces injection pain and respiratory depression, and has comparable stress responses between the two groups.