To determine the effects of dexmedetomidine on pneuomoperitoneum-related ischaemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury in rat ovarian tissue.Animals were randomized into three groups: Group S (n=8), no pneumoperitoneum; Group C (n=8), pneumoperitoneum; and Group D (n=8), 100μg intraperitoneal dexmedetomidine 30min before pneumoperitoneum. Ovarian tissue was collected from all rats 30min after desufflation, and fresh frozen for histological and biochemical evaluation.Body weight was similar in all three groups (202.62±28.86, 211.00±14.45 and 212.87±15.71g in Groups S, D and C, respectively). The mean malondialdehyde level was higher in Group C than the other groups (p<0.03). When the histological samples of ovarian tissue were compared, vascular congestion, haemorrhage, follicular cell degeneration and infiltrative cell infiltration scores were higher in Group C compared with the other groups (p<0.05). Significantly lower scores for the histological parameters were found in Group D compared with Group C (p<0.05). Similar scores for follicular cell degeneration and inflammatory cell infiltration were found in Group D and Group S (p>0.05). Although vascular congestion and haemorrhage scores were significantly lower compared with Group C, higher scores were found for Group D compared with Group S (p<0.05).Pneumoperitoneum caused oxidative injury in rat ovarian tissue. Dexmedetomidine reduced oxidative stress and histological injury related to I/R.