Effect of Remimazolam on the Incidence of Intraoperative Hypothermia Compared with Inhalation Anesthetics in Patients Undergoing Endoscopic Nasal Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Remimazolam is an ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine that is increasingly used for its efficacy in anesthesia induction and maintenance. However, limited research has explored its impact on intraoperative hypothermia compared to that of traditional inhalation anesthetics. This study aimed to compare the incidence of hypothermia during endoscopic nasal surgery when using remimazolam for maintenance anesthesia versus using inhalation anesthetics. Methods: This prospective study included 70 patients who underwent endoscopic nasal surgery under general anesthesia. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the inhalation anesthetic (IA) group (n=35), in which desflurane and nitrous oxide were administered, and the remimazolam (R) group (n=35), in which remimazolam and remifentanil were administered for anesthesia maintenance. The primary outcome was the incidence of intraoperative hypothermia, defined as an esophageal temperature below 36 degrees C during anesthesia. Results: The incidence of intraoperative hypothermia was significantly higher in the R group than in the IA group (P = 0.014). Furthermore, the temperature at the end of the surgery was significantly lower in the R group than in the IA group (P = 0.006). Additionally, the use of warming devices after surgery was more frequent in the R group than in the IA group (P = 0.047). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the use of remimazolam for maintenance anesthesia during endoscopic nasal surgery increases the risk of intraoperative hypothermia compared to the use of inhalation anesthetics. This highlights the importance of temperature monitoring in patients receiving remimazolam to minimize the adverse outcomes associated with hypothermia during surgery.