Chiu AHY, Bynevelt M, Lawn N, Lee G, Singh TP. Propofol as a substitute for amobarbital in Wada testing.
J Clin Neurosci 2015;
22:1830-2. [PMID:
26188665 DOI:
10.1016/j.jocn.2015.04.014]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2015] [Revised: 04/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We describe a patient with equivocal findings on functional MRI (fMRI), who underwent a propofol Wada test, review the literature on this topic and suggest a protocol for the use of propofol for a Wada test. Although fMRI techniques can usually accurately lateralize language, the Wada test remains the gold standard for preoperative lateralization and is occasionally still required if there are non-diagnostic findings on fMRI. Amobarbital, the agent of choice for the Wada test, has become increasingly difficult to obtain and requires regulatory approval, which may delay definitive management and have an impact on patient outcomes. Propofol has been suggested as an alternative to amobarbital, and while there is some published data on this, there is no reported Australian experience to date.
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