Li J, et al. - Fifty-seven patients with elective posterior lumbar fusion were randomized into two groups to evaluate the dexmedetomidine when added to preemptive ropivacaine infiltration for the relief of postoperative pain following lumbar fusion surgery. Five minutes former to the incision, the skin and subcutaneous tissues were injected with 20 mL 0.5% ropivacaine in group R (n = 28) and 20 mL 0.5% ropivacaine and 1 ug/kg of dexmedetomidine in group RD (n = 29) in two divided doses. In group RD, cumulative morphine dose and numbers of PCA analgesia in group RD were significantly lessened, the time of first analgesic demand was significantly prolonged in comparison with the group R. In group RD, Visual Analog Scale exhibited a significant decrease at 8 hours, 12 hours, 16 hours following operation and fewer patients in group RD encountered postoperative nausea or vomiting compared with the group R. Thus, the addition of dexmedetomidine to preemptive ropivacaine wound infiltration gave a superior analgesic impact, decreased postoperative morphine intake, and prolonged the time of the first analgesic demand with no severe side effects.