Effects of Esketamine on Postoperative Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Scores in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Radical Resection for Colorectal Cancer.

TL;DR

Intravenous esketamine administered during anesthesia induction and postoperative analgesia reduced Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores on postoperative days 1 and 3 in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection. Esketamine also lowered postoperative IL-6 levels and improved patient satisfaction.

Key findings

• Esketamine dosing: 0.5 mg/kg at induction plus 1 mg/kg added to patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA)
• Significant reductions in HADS anxiety and depression subscales on postoperative days 1 and 3 compared to conventional anesthesia
• Decreased 24-hour postoperative IL-6 levels and improved patient satisfaction scores in the esketamine group
• Primary outcome was HADS score on postoperative day 1; secondary outcomes included sleep quality, length of stay, and complication rates

Why this matters at the bedside

Esketamine may offer perioperative benefits beyond analgesia for colorectal cancer surgery patients, reducing early postoperative anxiety and depression while lowering inflammatory markers. These findings could influence perioperative anesthetic and analgesic selection in this population.