EP053 Effectiveness of postoperative pain relief using dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant for spinal anesthesia in obstetrics

<h3>Background and Aims</h3> Spinal anesthesia (SA) is the ‘gold standard’ for cesarean section, but its effectiveness is limited by the duration of action of the local anesthetic. Adjuvants are used to prolong analgesia. In Uzbekistan, dexmedetomidine is used as an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, but its use in obstetrics remains poorly understood. Objective: To improve SMA using dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant. <h3>Methods</h3> The study involved 53 women aged 20–38 years (73% planned cesarean, 27% emergency). Anesthesia: 0.5% bupivacaine solution (0.2 mg/kg, up to 15 mg) with the addition of dexmedetomidine (10 mcg). Efficiency was assessed using the VAS and RASS scale at 3 stages: during surgery, 2 and 6 hours after it. Nausea, vomiting and shivering were also studied. <h3>Results</h3> The use of dexmedetomidine provided excellent results in 80–85% of cases: adequate analgesia for 14–16 hours, no need for opioids, satisfactory sedation (12–15 min after administration). The incidence of intraoperative shivering was 55%. Dexmedetomidine did not increase the incidence of nausea and vomiting. A significant improvement in early rehabilitation (activation after 6–8 hours) and the creation of optimal conditions for breastfeeding were noted. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant in SA during cesarean section provides effective and safe pain relief with minimal side effects, which contributes to the fastest recovery of patients.