Coronary Sinus Isoflurane Concentration in Cardiac Surgery

A Comparison of the Arterial Blood Concentration of Isoflurane During Cardiopulmonary Bypass Between 2 Polypropylene Oxygenators

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective was to compare arterial blood concentration of isoflurane during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) between 2 polypropylene oxygenators of different designs. Secondary objectives were to compare levels of Bispectral Index Score (BIS) during CPB between the 2 oxygenators and to examine the relationships between oxygenator exhaust and arterial blood concentrations of isoflurane and BIS.

DESIGN

Single, blinded, randomized control trial.

SETTING

Teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-five patients undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB.

INTERVENTIONS

Subjects were randomly assigned (1:1) to Inspire 8F (Sorin) or Affinity Fusion (Medtronic) oxygenators.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The mean arterial blood concentration in the Inspire 8F (Sorin) group was 59 (standard deviation [SD] 23) µg/mL, compared with 53 (SD 17) µg/mL in the Affinity Fusion (Medtronic) group with a nonsignificant mean difference of 6 (95% confidence interval = -11, 22) µg/mL (t[23] = 0.676, p = 0.50). No significant difference in BIS was found between the groups (p = 0.896). Moderate and strong, negative correlations respectively, were found between arterial and oxygenator exhaust correlations and BIS (r = -0.472, p < 0.05; r = -0.812, p < 0.001). A strong, positive correlation was found between arterial and exhaust isoflurane concentration (r = 0.810, p < 0.0005).

CONCLUSIONS

No significant difference in arterial blood concentration of isoflurane or BIS was found between the Inspire 8F (Sorin) and Affinity Fusion (Medtronic) oxygenators. A significant positive correlation was found between arterial blood and oxygenator exhaust concentrations of isoflurane, as well as significant negative correlations between both arterial and oxygenator exhaust concentrations of isoflurane and BIS.

The depth of anaesthesia associated with the administration of isoflurane 2.5% during cardiopulmonary bypass

BACKGROUND

Administering isoflurane 2.5% into the oxygenator during cardiopulmonary bypass results in no patient movement. However, doing so may result in an excessive depth of anaesthesia particularly, when hypothermia is induced. Bispectral index and arterial blood and oxygenator exhaust concentrations of volatile anaesthetics should be related to depth of anaesthesia. The primary aim of this study was to measure the depth of anaesthesia using bispectral index, resulting from administering isoflurane 2.5% into the oxygenator during cardiopulmonary bypass, and secondary aims were to examine the relationships between blood and oxygenator exhaust isoflurane concentrations and bispectral index.

METHODS

Arterial and mixed-venous blood samples were aspirated at three time points during cardiopulmonary bypass and measured for isoflurane concentration using mass spectrometry. Simultaneously, oxygenator exhaust isoflurane concentration, nasopharyngeal temperature and bispectral index were recorded.

RESULTS

When averaged across the three time points, all patients had a bispectral index score below 40 (binomial test, p < 0.001). There were no significant correlations between bispectral index score and arterial or mixed-venous blood isoflurane concentrations (r = -0.082, p = 0.715; r = -0.036, p = 0.874) and oxygenator exhaust gas concentration of isoflurane (r = -0.369, p = 0.091).

CONCLUSION

When 2.5% isoflurane was administered into the sweep gas supply to the oxygenator during cardiopulmonary bypass, all patients experienced a bispectral index score less than 40 and no significant relationship was found between either arterial or mixed-venous blood or oxygenator exhaust concentrations of isoflurane and bispectral index.