Effect of Dexmedetomidine–Ropivacaine Block on Flap Perfusion & Satisfaction After Hand Flap Surgery .
Effect of dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine block on flap blood flow and patient satisfaction after flap transfer for hand trauma: a randomized controlled trial.
J Hand Surg Eur Vol . 2025 Apr;50(4):523-530.Sixty-six patients undergoing anterolateral thigh free flap transfer for hand trauma were randomized to receive either intermittent 1.0 mg/mL dexmedetomidine + 0.125% ropivacaine (n=29) or 0.2% ropivacaine alone (n=31) via continuous infraclavicular brachial plexus block. The primary outcome was flap blood flow parameters, including peak systolic and diastolic velocities, resistance index, and arterial diameter. Secondary outcomes included patient satisfaction, hand numbness, motor block scores, VAS pain scores, and parecoxib-Na consumption. Outcomes were assessed at 0, 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively. Overall, the results revealed no significant difference in flap blood flow between groups, but the dexmedetomidine group reported significantly greater satisfaction, with less numbness and motor block. The study concludes that dexmedetomidine combined with lower concentration ropivacaine provides comparable analgesia with improved patient satisfaction and no detrimental effects on flap perfusion.
Unlock the Full ACE Report
You have access to 4 more FREE articles this month.
Click below to unlock and view this ACE Reports
Unlock Now
Critical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics
Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics
Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions
Exclusive access to original content articles, including in-house systematic reviews, and articles on health research methods and hot orthopaedic topics