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NCT Number: NCT07627906

Ketofol Versus Ketodex for POD Prophylaxis in Elderly Cancer Surgery

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common and serious neurocognitive complication after surgery, particularly in elderly patients undergoing major cancer surgeries. It is associated with prolonged hospital stay, impaired quality of life, increased postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and higher mortality. The pathophysiology of POD is multifactorial and involves neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, impaired cerebral perfusion, and neurotransmitter imbalance.

Several anesthetic agents have been investigated for their potential neuroprotective effects against POD. Ketamine, through NMDA receptor antagonism, may reduce neuroinflammation and provide hemodynamic stability and opioid-sparing analgesia, although concerns remain regarding hallucinations and psychomimetic effects. Propofol, acting through GABA receptor activation, may protect against oxidative neuronal injury but may also induce hypotension in elderly patients. Dexmedetomidine, a selective α2-adrenergic agonist, has shown promising sedative, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties with potential protective effects against POD, although bradycardia and uncertainty regarding optimal dosing remain concerns.

Combinations such as ketofol (ketamine-propofol) and ketodex (ketamine-dexmedetomidine) may provide synergistic benefits by improving hemodynamic stability, analgesia, and sedation while minimizing adverse effects. Previous studies have demonstrated favorable perioperative outcomes with both combinations; however, direct comparisons regarding their role in preventing postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing pelvi-abdominal cancer surgeries remain limited. Therefore, this study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of ketofol versus ketodex as prophylactic strategies against POD in this high-risk population.

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Key information

Conditions

Postoperative Delirium (POD) Cognition Disorders Cognitive Dysfunction Confusion Delirium Emergence Delirium Mental Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurocognitive Disorders Neurologic Manifestations Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Postoperative Cognitive Complications Postoperative Complications Signs and Symptoms

Age range

60 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 3

Primary location

Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine- Cairo University

Cairo, Cairo Governorate, 11728, Egypt

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Abeer Said, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

01005244590

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients aged ≥ 60 years.
  • ASA physical status II and III.
  • Scheduled for open pelvi-abdominal cancer surgeries.
  • Able to communicate verbally.
  • BMI < 35 kg/m2.

Exclusion criteria

  • Patient's refusal to participate.
  • Laparoscopic procedures.
  • Severe hepatic (Liver enzymes are more than threefold) and renal impairment (Creatinine clearance is less than 30 ml/min).
  • Severe cardiac disease (EF ≤ 40%, recent MI in the previous 3 months, NYHA ≥ III) and pulmonary disease (FEV1/FVC ratio < 50% predicted and/or FEV1 < 50% predicted)
  • Patients require postoperative ICU admission with mechanical ventilation and or inotropic support.

Treatment and study plan

Group ketofol

Drug

Patients will receive Ketofol (propofol- ketamine mixture in a ratio of 1:1). This will be prepared by adding 200 mg propofol (20 ml) with 200 mg ketamine (4ml) in 50 ml infusion (concentration of 4mg/ml). The infused ketofol dose will be 0.2 ml/kg/hr.

Group ketodex

Drug

Patients will receive Ketodex (ketamine- dexmedetomidine mixture in a ratio of 1:1). This will be prepared by adding 200 mg dexmedetomidine (2 ml) with 200 mg ketamine (4ml) to be diluted with normal saline within 50 ml infusion (concentration 4mg/ml). The infused ketodex dose will be 0.2 ml/kg/hr.

Group Control

Drug

will receive an equal volume of normal saline as 0.2 mg/kg/hr.

Primary outcomes

  1. Incidence of POD two hours postoperative using 3D-CAM test.

    Time frame: 2 hours postoperative

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Abeer Ahmed, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

+201005244590

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Cairo University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Neuroprotective Effects of Ketofol Versus Ketodex on Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients Undergoing Pelvi-abdominal Cancer Surgeries. A Randomized Double-blinded Comparative Study.

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jun 4, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 4, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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