Dexmedetomidine Supplemented Intravenous Analgesia in Elderly After Orthopedic Surgery

Delirium is common in the elderly after orthopedic surgery and is associated with worse outcomes. The investigators hypothesize that, for elderly patients after orthopedic surgery, dexmedetomidine supplemented intravenous analgesia can reduce the incidence of delirium and improve the long-term outcomes.

A growing number of elderly patients undergo orthopedic surgery each year. Delirium is a common complication in these patients after surgery and is associated with worse outcomes, including prolonged hospital stay, poor functional recovery, decreased cognitive function, increased health care costs, and elevated mortality rate. Previous studies showed that, for elderly patients admitted to the intensive care unit after non-cardiac surgery, low-dose dexmedetomidine infusion improved subjective sleep quality and reduced delirium early after surgery; it also increased survival up to 2 years and improved life quality in 3-year survivors. The investigators hypothesize that dexmedetomidine supplemented intravenous analgesia (in the form of patient-controlled analgesia) can also reduce delirium and improve long-term outcomes in elderly patients after orthopedic surgery.