International Journal of Scientific Research in Dental and Medical Sciences

International Journal of Scientific Research in Dental and Medical Sciences

Comparison of Two Doses of Nebulized Dexmedetomidine with Lignocaine for Awake Fiberoptic Intubation: A Randomized Double-Blind Trial

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Surendra Kumar Sethi
Abhay Kumar Lodhi
Arti Kuldeep
Sandeep Sharma
Basant Kumar Dindor
Manoj Kumar Jain
Department of Anaesthesiology, Rabindranath Tagore Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
10.30485/ijsrdms.2026.562631.1689
Abstract
Background and aim: Nebulized dexmedetomidine is a promising non-invasive technique of topical anesthesia as an adjunct to lignocaine for awake fiberoptic intubation (AFOI). The study aimed to compare two different doses of dexmedetomidine with lignocaine nebulization for AFOI in patients undergoing elective surgery.
Material and methods: Ninety-six adult patients of either sex aged 18 to 50 years, belonging to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Physical Status (PS) I or II, for AFOI, were enrolled and randomly allocated into three groups of 32 each. Patients received nebulization with either lignocaine alone (Group C) or lignocaine and dexmedetomidine (Groups D1 and D2) for 15 minutes. Cough severity was the primary outcome, while intubation comfort score, post-intubation behavior assessment, patient satisfaction score, Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) score, hemodynamics, and side effects were secondary outcomes.
Results: The median cough scores were 2(1-2), 1(1-2) and 1(1-1); median intubation comfort scores were 1(1-2), 1(0-1) and 0(0-0); median post intubation behavior scores were 1(1-2), 1(0-1) and 0(0-0); median postoperative patient satisfaction scores were 2(1-2), 0(0-1) and 0(0-0); and median Ramsay sedation scores were 1(1-2), 2(2-3) and 3(2-3) in Group C, Group D1 and Group D2 respectively and the differences were statistically significant, (P<0.05). The difference in hemodynamic parameters was also statistically significant (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Although both doses of nebulized dexmedetomidine (1 μg/kg and 2 μg/kg) are safe and effective for AFOI, the nebulized dexmedetomidine (2 μg/kg) appears to be more effective for AFOI.
Keywords
Anesthesia
Dexmedetomidine
Hemodynamics
Intubation
Patient Satisfaction
Subjects
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International Journal of Scientific Research in Dental and Medical Sciences
Volume 7, Issue 4
Autumn 2025
Pages 182-189

  • Receive Date 11 September 2025
  • Revise Date 26 October 2025
  • Accept Date 06 November 2025
  • Publish Date 01 December 2025