BACKGROUNDDexmedetomidine, an α2 agonist is an approved drug for sedation and co-analgesia, but may cause hypotension and bradycardia. Ketamine, which provides profound analgesia and dissociative anaesthesia when used with dexmedetomidine may counteract the adverse haemodynamic effects as both have opposing actions on the cardiovascular system apart from providing satisfactory sedation and analgesia during minor surgical procedures.

BACKGROUND AND AIMLaparoscopic procedures are conventionally done under general anaesthesia for avoiding patient discomforts and other problems related to pneumoperitoneum that occur during laparoscopy under spinal anaesthesia. Here a study was designed to look for the possibility of using intravenous dexmedetomidine infusion to overcome these problems in patients undergoing laparoscopic gynaecological procedures of short duration, i.e. 1 hour or less under spinal anaesthesia.