Supratentorial Brain Tumor

Supratentorial brain tumor surgeries are associated with significant nociceptive stimulation and postoperative pain, which may adversely affect patient outcomes. Scalp block has emerged as an effective regional anesthetic technique to improve analgesia and reduce opioid consumption. Objective: To compare efficacy of ketamine versus dexmedetomidine as adjuvants to bupivacaine in scalp blocks for supratentorial brain tumor surgeries, focusing on analgesia, opioid consumption, and hemodynamic stability. Methods: This randomized double-blinded controlled trial included 80 patients undergoing supratentorial tumor excision, allocated equally into two groups: Group K received bupivacaine with ketamine (2 mg/kg), and Group D received bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine (1 µg/kg). Intraoperative hemodynamics, fentanyl consumption, postoperative pain scores (NRS), analgesic requirements, and complications were assessed.

This randomized clinical trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of scalp nerve blocks and dexmedetomidine in reducing opioid use and preventing postoperative delirium in patients undergoing supratentorial brain tumor surgery. A total of 2000 patients will be randomly assigned to one of four groups, receiving either active treatments, placebos, or their combinations. The main outcome measured will be the amount of opioid pain medication needed after surgery.

Supratentorial craniotomy is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures, with severe perioperative pain. Inadequate perioperative pain relief has been associated with increased blood pressure and intracranial pressure, favoring bleeding and cerebral cerebral hypoperfusion. The ideal analgesia for neurosurgery requires complete pain relief, eliminates the side effects of opioid drugs and no influence for neurological function. Previous studies have proposed a multimodal analgesic strategy, combining analgesics and local anaesthesia, it is expected to achieve the above benefits.