Perioperative Use of Vasoactive Agents in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Surgery: A Protocol for a Scoping Review

BACKGROUND: Perioperative hypotension in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery is a known and well-described condition. Timely treatment of perioperative hypotension, regardless of the reason, is important in order to reduce the associated postoperative complications. The treatment consists of vasoactive agents and/or fluids; however, the ideal vasoactive agent in gastrointestinal surgery has yet to be identified. METHODS: We will conduct a scoping review of studies assessing the use of vasoactive agents in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. We will investigate in which gastrointestinal populations the use of vasoactive agents has been assessed, if the agents are used as part of a goal-directed therapy protocol, evaluate the desirable or undesirable effects assessed, and if there are any differences between the agents assessed depending on the urgency of the surgery. The review will be developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) statement. RESULTS: Results will be presented descriptively. CONCLUSION: The outlined scoping review will provide a descriptive summary of the body of evidence on the use of vasoactive agents in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.