Effect Of Penehyclidine Hydrochloride On The Incidence Of Intraoperative Awareness In Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery During General Anesthesia

Background:Intraopertative awareness is closely associated with serious adverse consequences. There are few data concerning the effect of Penehyclidine Hydrochloride (PHC) on intraoperative awareness. The authors conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery under bispectral index guided total intravenous anesthesia to evaluate the effect of PHC on intraoperative awareness.Methods:920patients scheduled for breast cancer surgery were randomly divided into PHC Group receiving0.01mg.kg-1PHC intravenously30min before surgery or Saline Group, receiving saline intravenously as placebo. Before the administration the patients were assessed preoperative anxiety levels by using a100-mm visual analogue scale. Intraoperative awareness was defined as postoperative recall of events occurring during operation. Modified Brice interview was used to assess awareness in the study. Patients were interviewed between2and6hours postoperatively and the next24-48h. A committee of three experts blinded to the study conditions, independently scrutinized all reported recollections. Confirmed awareness was defined as two or three coding "awareness"Results:There were no differences in depth of anesthesia and patients’preoperative anxiety levels between the two groups (p>0.05). None of456(0%) and5of452(1.1%) who received PHC and saline respectively, reported awareness about intraoperative events (p<0.05).Conclusion:PHC reduced the incidence of intraoperative awareness in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery during general anesthesia.