Abstract: The objective of this study was to compare recovery from desflurane anesthesia in horses with or without post-anesthetic xylazine. Six adult horses were anesthetized on 2 occasions, 14 d apart using a prospective, randomized crossover design. Horses were sedated with xylazine, induced to lateral recumbency with ketamine and diazepam, and anesthesia was maintained with desflurane. One of 2 treatments was administered intravenously at the end of anesthesia: xylazine [0.2 mg/kg body weight (BW)] or an equivalent volume of saline. Recovery parameters were recorded and assessed by 2 blinded observers. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze recovery data. Heart rate, arterial blood pressures, and arterial blood gas data were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures. Values of P < 0.05 were considered significant. Duration of anesthesia was not different between groups. Administration of xylazine at the end of desflurane anesthesia was associated with significantly longer times to first movement, endotracheal tube removal, first attempt to achieve sternal recumbency, sternal recumbency, first attempt to stand, and standing. Number of attempts to stand and quality of recovery scores were not different between groups. Administering xylazine after desflurane anesthesia resulted in longer recovery times. Recovery scores were not significantly different between groups. L’objectif de la présente étude était de comparer la récupération suite à une anesthésie au desflurane chez des chevaux avec ou sans administration post-anesthésie de xylazine. Six chevaux adultes furent anesthésiés à deux occasions à 14 j d’intervalle, en utilisant un design expérimental croisé aléatoire. Les chevaux ont été soumis à une sédation à la xylazine, mis en décubitus latéral avec de la kétamine et du diazépam, et l’anesthésie maintenue avec du desflurane. Un des deux traitements suivants fut administré par voie intraveineuse à la fin de l’anesthésie : xylazine (0,2 mg/kg de poids corporel) ou un volume équivalent de saline. Les paramètres de récupération furent enregistrés et évalués à l’aveugle par deux observateurs. Le test de comparaison des données de Wilcoxon fut utilisé pour analyser les données de récupération. Le rythme cardiaque, la pression artérielle, et les données des gaz sanguins artériels furent analysés par analyse de variance (ANOVA) pour des mesures répétées. Des valeurs de P < 0,05 étaient considérées comme significatives. La durée de l’anesthésie n’était pas différente entre les groupes. L’administration de xylazine à la fin de l’anesthésie au desflurane était associée à des délais significativement plus longs avant : un premier mouvement, le retrait du tube endotrachéal, un premier essai pour se mettre en décubitus sternal, le décubitus sternal, un premier essai pour se mettre debout, et se tenir debout. Le nombre d’essais pour se tenir debout et la qualité des pointages de récupération n’étaient pas différents entre les groupes. L’administration de xylazine suite à l’anesthésie au desflurane a entraîné des temps de récupération plus longs. Les pointages de récupération n’étaient pas significativement différents entre les groupes.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).
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This research study focuses on the impact of xylazine, a sedative, on the recovery time of horses after being anesthetized with desflurane. It found that those who were administered with xylazine post-anesthesia required significantly more time to recover, even though the overall quality of recovery was not significantly different.
Study Methodology
The research was conducted on six adult horses, each anesthetized twice with a gap of 14 days in a controlled environment.
The horses were first sedated with xylazine and then laid in lateral recumbency using a combination of ketamine and diazepam. The anesthesia was then maintained with desflurane.
At the end of the anesthesia, the horses were given one of two treatments intravenously. The options were xylazine (0.2 mg/kg of body weight) or an equivalent volume of saline (saltwater solution).
Data Analysis
The researchers recorded a number of recovery parameters, such as time to first movement, endotracheal tube removal time and attempts, and time to achieve sternal recumbency (ability to lie down on the sternum).
Additionally, they also measured time for the horses to first attempt to stand and successfully stand up.
Heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and arterial blood gas data were also collected for analysis. This data was then analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and a 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures.
Findings
The duration of anesthesia did not differ significantly between the two groups (those who received xylazine post-anesthesia and those who did not).
However, the group who had been administered xylazine post-anesthesia took significantly longer times to achieve several recovery milestones like moving for the first time, removing the endotracheal tube, attempting to lie on the sternum or stand up and actually standing up.
Yet, there was no difference in the number of standing attempts or the overall quality of recovery between the two groups.
This means that recovery periods were lengthened as a result of administering xylazine post-anesthesia.
Cite This Article
APA
Aarnes TK, Bednarski RM, Bertone AL, Hubbell JA, Lerche P.
(2014).
Recovery from desflurane anesthesia in horses with and without post-anesthetic xylazine.
Can J Vet Res, 78(2), 103-109.
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