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Effect of low-dose esketamine on postoperative quality of recovery in total laparoscopic hysterectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

Jing Zhang, Zheng Niu, Ting Wang, Lianya Yu, Xinyi Ren, Shurui Zhang, Yuwei Zhu, Dunyi Qi

Perioperative medicine (London, England) July 23, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s13741-025-00567-z (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 106
Population Female patients scheduled for elective total laparoscopic hysterectomy
Intervention Esketamine
Dose 0.25 mg/kg
Duration 30-day follow-up
Topics Esketamine
Keywords Postoperative recovery quality Qor-40 Total laparoscopic hysterectomy Intervention Less pain Better sleep Reduced inflammation Fewer opioids Smoother recovery Faster recovery Surgery During anesthesia
Citations 5
Key findings Low-dose esketamine at anesthesia induction did not improve QoR-40 scores but reduced opioid use, stabilized hemodynamics, and shortened recovery room stay.

Abstract

To investigate the effect of intraoperative low-dose esketamine administered at anesthesia induction on postoperative quality of recovery in total laparoscopic hysterectomy. One-hundred six female patients scheduled for elective total laparoscopic hysterectomy were randomly divided into saline group (group P) and esketamine group (group S). Group P received induction with normal saline, propofol, sufentanil, midazolam, and rocuronium, while group S received induction with low-dose esketamine (0.25 mg/kg), propofol, sufentanil, midazolam, and rocuronium. Both groups were maintained with intravenous infusions of propofol and remifentanil. The quality of recovery (QoR-40), Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Index (PSQI) scores were assessed at 8, 24, 48, and 72 h, 7 days, and 30-day post-surgery. Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores were evaluated at 72 h, 7 days, and 30-day post-surgery. Intraoperative hemodynamics, remifentanil consumption, inflammatory reactions, and adverse reactions were also documented. Both groups had similar QoR-40 scores at each time point (P > 0.05). Patients in group S had less intraoperative remifentanil use (P < 0.001), less consumption of phenylephrine (P = 0.005), fewer episodes of hypotension (P < 0.001), and shorter extubation time and stay in postanesthesia care unit (PACU) (P < 0.001). The NRS scores after extubation (P = 0.007), 8 h (P = 0.027) and 48 h (P = 0.016) after surgery, and the postoperative NLR (P = 0.003) and postoperative 24-h PSQI score (P = 0.024) were significantly lower in group S. The mean blood pressure (MBP) was higher at 10 min after incubation (T3) (P < 0.001). The heart rate (HR) was faster at 3 min (T1) (P = 0.005), 10 min (T3) (P = 0.023), and 30 min (T4) (P = 0.014) after incubation and complete end of surgery (T5) (P = 0.010) in group S. Multiple linear regression analyses demonstrated that higher education was associated with better recovery (P < 0.05). In patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomy, one injection of low-dose esketamine at anesthesia induction did not affect QoR-40 scores. However, esketamine stabilized intraoperative hemodynamics, decreased intraoperative opioid requirements, and shortened postoperative extubation time and PACU stay. It also alleviated postoperative inflammatory response and pain without causing adverse effects.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on esketamine, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Efficacy and Safety of Flexibly Dosed Esketamine Nasal Spray Combined With a Newly Initiated Oral Antidepressant in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Double-Blind Active-Controlled Study Adults with moderate to severe nonpsychotic depression and a history of nonresponse to... 2019 Phase 3, double-blind, active-controlled, multicenter randomized controlled trial n = 227
Efficacy of Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus Oral Antidepressant Treatment for Relapse Prevention in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression Adults with treatment-resistant depression who achieved stable remission or stable... 2019 Phase 3, multicenter, double-blind, randomized withdrawal study n = 297
Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine Adjunctive to Oral Antidepressant Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression Adults with DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of major depressive disorder and history of inadequate... 2017 Phase 2, double-blind, doubly randomized, delayed-start, placebo-controlled study n = 67
Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine for the Rapid Reduction of Symptoms of Depression and Suicidality in Patients at Imminent Risk for Suicide: Results of a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study Depressed patients at imminent risk for suicide 2018 Randomized controlled trial n = 68
Efficacy and Safety of Fixed-Dose Esketamine Nasal Spray Combined With a New Oral Antidepressant in Treatment-Resistant Depression: Results of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Active-Controlled Study (TRANSFORM-1) Adults with moderate-to-severe depression and nonresponse to at least two... 2019 Randomized controlled trial n = 346

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