Abstract
We experienced 2 patients undergoing thyroplasty, both of whom required laryngeal phonation during the operation to assess optimal vocal cord motion. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) was used as an anesthetic adjuvant. In both cases, anesthesia was induced with 4μg/kg of fentanyl, 5mg of droperidol, and 1.6-1.8μg/kg/hour of DEX for 20 minutes, which was then maintained at 0.2-0.5μg/kg/hour of DEX. The airway was secured using the nasal airway and spontaneous breathing was preserved throughout the surgical procedures. The perioperative courses were uneventful without any respiratory depression, or patient anxiety or discomfort, and both patients obeyed the instructions of the surgeon to phonate without restlessness. DEX has potent sedative, amnesic, and analgesic properties that provide it with a lower respiratory depressive effect. Therefore, we conclude that DEX is useful as an anesthetic adjunct for intraoperative management of patients who must phonate during this type of surgery.
