Abstract:Objective To explore the effect of Dexmedetomidine on mesenteric traction syndrome (MTS) during radical gastrectomy. Methods Sixty patients scheduled for radical gastrectomy under general anesthesia were randomly allocated to a Dexmedetomidine group and a control group. Dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg/kg was intravenously infused 10 min before anesthesia induction, followed by a continuous infusion at the rate of 0.5 μg/(kg?h) in the Dexmedetomidine group, and saline was administrated in the control group. Radical gastrectomy was performed under total intravenous anesthesia with Propofol and Remifentanil. MTS was diagnosed by a single symptom of facial flushing within 30 min following opening of the abdomen. The incidence and duration of hypotension and the dosage of phenylephrine were recorded. The systolic blood pressure and heart rate in the patients with MTS were monitored before operation (T1), at the moment of opening the abdomen (T2), 10 (T3), 20 (T4) and 30 min (T5) after opening of the abdomen. Results The incidence of MTS was 52% in the control group and 57% in the Dexmedetomidine group, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The duration of hypotension in the patients with MTS of the Dexmedetomidine group was significantly longer than that of the control group, and the dosage of phenylephrine was significantly increased in the patients with MTS of the Dexmedetomidine group as compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05). The systolic blood pressure in the patients with MTS of the Dexmedetomidine group was significantly lower than that of the control group at T3 (P < 0.05). At T2, T3 and T5, the heart rate in the patients with MTS of the Dexmedetomidine group was significantly decreased as compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions Dexmedetomidine has no influence of the incidence on MTS, but can make hypotension more serious.