Magnesium sulfate as an opioid sparer in major abdominal surgery

Abstract

Introduction: The effect of magnesium sulfate as an adjunct to analgesia during different surgical interventions is a subject under constant debate and study, with respect to showing its efficacy and safety in improving the postoperative evolution of patients.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness and safety of magnesium sulfate as an opioid sparer in general anesthesia with patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.

Methods: Quasiexperimental, prospective and longitudinal study carried out, from December 2019 to December 2020, with 44 patients from General Calixto García University Hospital. Two groups were created: a study group (magnesium sulfate) and a control group. Intraoperative and postoperative analgesia, intraoperative fentanyl consumption, requirement of salvage analgesia, as well as perioperative complications were evaluated.

Results: In the patients who were administered magnesium sulfate, mean arterial pressure, heart rate and shock index tended to remain below the global mean. The perfusion index increased and maintained this trend, while they had a lower consumption of fentanyl.

Conclusions: The administration of magnesium sulfate as an adjunct to general anesthesia in patients undergoing major elective abdominal surgery was effective and safe, as it provided greater perioperative analgesia, hemodynamic stability, less intraoperative opioid consumption and less postoperative analgesic rescue than in the control group. The incidence of complications was low and without clinical repercussions.

Keywords: analgesia; magnesium sulfate; opioid; general anesthesia.