We designed an observational study, aimed to evaluate the possible reduction in morphine consumption in thoracic patients, who were administered dexamethasone compared to who didn't received the drug.~The research wants to assess the presence of additional analgesic properties, besides the well known antiemetic effect, in the intraoperative administration of dexamethasone, and the possible postoperative complications, such as wound infections and hyperglycaemia.~The rational is to ameliorate the anaesthesiological management, in particular with a view to a opioid-sparing analgesia in thoracic patients.~To do so, we enrolled thoracic patients, who underwent elective lobectomy, segmentectomy or atypical resection surgery with a mini-thoracotomy approach or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).~We selected two groups: one in which patients were administered dexamethasone 8 mg at the moment of induction, and the other one in which patients didn't received dexamethasone, but ondansetron 4 mg at the end of surgery. Both groups received other antiemetic drugs based on Apfel score and multimodal analgesia, comprising loco-regional analgesia, opioids and other analgesic drugs administration.~The we checked morphine consumption and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) values for pain in the first 24 hours after surgery.~Moreover we evaluate Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting (PONV), intra- and post-operative blood glucose levels and wound infection.
The aim of the study is to evaluate the analgesic properties of dexamethasone and to quantify the possible associated postoperative complications, such as wound infections and hyperglycaemia, in patients who underwent lobectomy, segmentectomy or atypical resection surgery with a mini-thoracotomy approach or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).