Inhalational or intravenous anesthetics for craniotomies? Pro inhalational

The Effect of Ciprofol on Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients Undergoing Thoracoscopic Surgery for Lung Cancer: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Purpose

This study was conducted to assess whether ciprofol vs propofol could affect the incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients with lung cancer after thoracoscopic surgery.

Patients and Methods

In this study, a total of 84 elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer were recruited and randomized into two groups to receive anesthesia with either ciprofol or propofol. The primary outcome was the incidence of POD within three days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) score, intraoperative indicators related to mean arterial pressure (MAP), and cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (SctO2). Moreover, MAP- and SctO2-related indicators associated with POD were analyzed.

Results

The incidence of POD was 7.1% and 16.7%, respectively, in the ciprofol group and the propofol group (risk ratio [RR], 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07 to 2.03; risk difference [RD], -9.6%; 95% CI, -23.3% to 4.1%; p = 0.178). Compared with those in the propofol group, patients in the ciprofol group had lower CAM scores three days after surgery (13 (12, 15) vs 15 (14, 17); 12 (11, 13) vs 14 (13, 16); 12 (11, 12) vs 13 (12, 14), p<0.05). Besides, patients in the ciprofol group exhibited higher mean and minimum MAP (88.63 ± 6.7 vs 85 ± 8.3; 69.81 ± 9.59 vs 64.9 ± 9.43, p<0.05) and SctO2 (77.26 ± 3.96 vs 75.3 ± 4.49, 71.69 ± 4.51 vs 68.77 ± 6.46, p<0.05) and percentage of time for blood pressure stabilization (0.6 ± 0.14 vs 0.45 ± 0.14, p<0.05) than those in the propofol group. Furthermore, MAP and SctO2-related indicators were validated to correlate with POD.

Conclusion

Anesthesia with ciprofol did not increase the incidence of POD compared with propofol. The results demonstrated that ciprofol could improve intraoperative MAP and SctO2 levels and diminish postoperative CAM scores.

Total intravenous anaesthesia with propofol and remifentanil is associated with reduction in operative time in surgery for glioblastoma when compared with inhalational anaesthesia with sevoflurane

BACKGROUND

Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is emerging as a preferred neuroanaesthetic agent compared with inhalational anaesthetic (IA) agents. We asked if TIVA with propofol and remifentanil was associated with shorter operative times compared to IA using sevoflurane in brain tumour surgery under GA.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing surgery for glioblastoma (GBM). We assessed choice of GA agent (TIVA or IA) with total time patient was under GA (anaesthetic time), operative time and time taken to recover fully from GA (recovery time).

RESULTS

Over a two year period 263 patients underwent surgery under GA for their GBM including 188 craniotomy operations, 63 burr hole biopsy procedures and 12 open biopsy procedures. Of these, 79 operations took place under TIVA and 184 operations under IA. TIVA was associated with significantly reduced mean operative time including time taken to wake up in theatre (104 min with TIVA, 129 min with IA; p = 0.02). TIVA was also associated with trends toward shorter mean recovery time (118 min, versus 135 min with IA; p = 0.08) and shorter mean anaesthetic time (163 min, versus 181 min with IA; p = 0.07). There was no difference between TIVA and IA groups as regards duration of inpatient stay, readmission rates, complications or survival.

CONCLUSIONS

TIVA with propofol and remifentanil may reduce anaesthetic, operative and recovery times in patients undergoing surgery for their GBM. These findings may be attributable to favourable effects on intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion, as well as rapid recovery from GA. In addition to clinical advantages, there may be financial and logistical benefits.

The initial intracranial pressure spike phenomenon

BACKGROUND

Elective use of intraparenchymal intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is a valuable resource in the investigation of hydrocephalus and other cerebrospinal fluid disorders. Our preliminary study aims to investigate ICP changes in the immediate period following dural breach, which has not yet been reported on.

METHOD

This is a prospective cohort study of patients undergoing elective ICP monitoring, recruited between March and May 2022. ICP readings were obtained at opening and then at 5-min intervals for a 30-min duration.

RESULTS

Ten patients were recruited, mean age 45 years, with indications of a Chiari malformation (n = 5), idiopathic intracranial hypertension (n = 3) or other ICP-related pathology (n = 2). Patients received intermittent bolus sedation (80%) vs general anaesthesia (20%). Mean opening pressure was 22.9 mmHg [± 6.0], with statistically significant decreases present every 5 min, to a total reduction of 15.2 mmHg at 20 min (p = < 0.0001), whereafter the ICP plateaued with no further statistical change.

DISCUSSION

Our results highlight an intracranial opening pressure 'spike' phenomenon. This spike was 15.2 mmHg higher than the plateau, which is reached at 20 min after insertion. Several possible causes exist which require further research in larger cohorts, including sedation and pain response. Regardless of causation, this study provides key information on the use of ICP monitoring devices, guiding interpretation and when to obtain measurements.

Effect of sevoflurane, propofol and propofol with dexmedetomidine as maintenance agent on intracranial pressure in the Trendelenburg position during laparoscopic surgeries

Background and Aim

Pneumoperitoneum (PP) and the Trendelenburg position (TP) in laparoscopic surgeries are associated with rise in intracranial pressure (ICP). The optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) is a surrogate marker of ICP. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of sevoflurane, propofol and propofol with dexmedetomidine as maintenance agent on ICP in TP during laparoscopic surgeries.

Material and Methods

A total of 120 American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I/II patients, aged 18-65 years were randomly allocated into three groups: sevoflurane as group S, propofol as group P, and propofol with dexmedetomidine as group PD. The intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) was kept in the range of 12-14 mmHg and TP varied between 15°- 45° angle. The primary objective was comparison of ICP and secondary objectives were IOP, intraoperative hemodynamic and postoperative recovery characteristics among groups. The ONSD and IOP were measured in both eyes 10 min after endotracheal intubation (T0), 5 min after CO2 insufflation (T1), 5 min after TP (T2) and 5 min after deflation of gas (T3). The data were analyzed by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.

Results

ONSD and IOP at T1 and T2 were significantly higher than T0 in all groups, but no significant difference was found among the intergroup groups. Significantly lower heart rate and mean blood pressure were observed in PD group at T1 and T2 compared to group S and group P.

Conclusion

The rise in ICP was comparable among sevoflurane, propofol, and propofol-dexmedetomidine combination as a maintenance agent during laparoscopic surgeries in TP.

Anaesthetic management in a cat undergoing emergency craniotomy for meningioma excision

Case summary

A 15-year-old female spayed domestic shorthair cat underwent an emergency craniotomy to remove an intracranial meningioma causing marked midline shift, caudal transtentorial and foramen magnum herniation. Because intracranial structures are enclosed in the cranium, any volume-occupying lesions might raise intracranial pressure (ICP), compromising cerebral perfusion.

Relevance and novel information

This case report discusses the anaesthetic management of a cat that presented with marked bradycardia and concomitant hypotension. Cushing's reflex (CR) is a well-recognised cardiovascular reflex following sudden ICP increase, and it features an irregular breathing pattern and increased arterial blood pressure with reflex bradycardia. However, CR is reported to have a low sensitivity for the detection of raised ICP in humans with traumatic brain injury. In a previous study reporting seven cats undergoing surgical removal of intracranial meningioma, ICP was measured in four cases and, in these patients, CR was not observed during surgery. Because bradycardia was not secondary to hypertension, in this case, it might have been the result of direct compression of the nucleus of the vagus nerve. Based on the literature search, there is paucity of reports of cardiovascular changes in cats with increased ICP and their perianaesthetic management.

Diversity of electroencephalographic patterns during propofol-induced burst suppression

Burst suppression is a brain state consisting of high-amplitude electrical activity alternating with periods of quieter suppression that can be brought about by disease or by certain anesthetics. Although burst suppression has been studied for decades, few studies have investigated the diverse manifestations of this state within and between human subjects. As part of a clinical trial examining the antidepressant effects of propofol, we gathered burst suppression electroencephalographic (EEG) data from 114 propofol infusions across 21 human subjects with treatment-resistant depression. This data was examined with the objective of describing and quantifying electrical signal diversity. We observed three types of EEG burst activity: canonical broadband bursts (as frequently described in the literature), spindles (narrow-band oscillations reminiscent of sleep spindles), and a new feature that we call low-frequency bursts (LFBs), which are brief deflections of mainly sub-3-Hz power. These three features were distinct in both the time and frequency domains and their occurrence differed significantly across subjects, with some subjects showing many LFBs or spindles and others showing very few. Spectral-power makeup of each feature was also significantly different across subjects. In a subset of nine participants with high-density EEG recordings, we noted that each feature had a unique spatial pattern of amplitude and polarity when measured across the scalp. Finally, we observed that the Bispectral Index Monitor, a commonly used clinical EEG monitor, does not account for the diversity of EEG features when processing the burst suppression state. Overall, this study describes and quantifies variation in the burst suppression EEG state across subjects and repeated infusions of propofol. These findings have implications for the understanding of brain activity under anesthesia and for individualized dosing of anesthetic drugs.

Anesthetic management of the traumatic brain injury patients undergoing non-neurosurgery

This article describes the anesthetic management of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) undergoing non-neurosurgery, primarily targeting intraoperative management for multiple-trauma surgery. The aim of this review is to promote the best clinical practice for patients with TBI in order to prevent secondary brain injury. Based on the current clinical guidelines and evidence, anesthetic selection and administration; maintenance of optimal cerebral perfusion pressure, oxygenation and ventilation; coagulation monitoring; glucose control; and temperature management are addressed. Neurological recovery, which is critical for improving the patient's quality of life, is most important; therefore, future research needs to be focused on this aspect.

Comparison of the Effects of Propofol and Sevoflurane Anesthesia on Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter in Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Gynecology Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) is used as a surrogate parameter for intracranial pressure. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the anesthetics (sevoflurane and propofol) on ONSD in women undergoing robotic surgery. The 42 patients who were scheduled for robot-assisted gynecology surgery were randomly allocated to the sevoflurane group or the propofol group. ONSD was recorded at 10 min after the induction of anesthesia (T0); 5 min, 20 min, and 40 min after carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum was induced and the patients were put in a steep Trendelenburg position (T1, T2, and T3, respectively); and at skin closure after desufflation of the pneumoperitoneum (T4). Patients were observed for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) during the immediate postoperative period. The propofol group had significantly lower ONSD than the sevoflurane group at T3. Mean ONSD values continuously increased from T0 to T3 in both groups. Two patients in the sevoflurane group experienced PONV. This study suggests that propofol anesthesia caused a lower increase in ONSD than sevoflurane anesthesia.

Effect of phenylephrine on cerebral oxygen saturation and cardiac output in adults when used to treat intraoperative hypotension: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review was to examine the effect of phenylephrine on cerebral oxygen saturation, cardiac output, and middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity when used to treat intraoperative hypotension.

INTRODUCTION

While the etiology of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in adults following surgery is likely multifactorial, intraoperative cerebral hypoperfusion is a commonly proposed mechanism. Research evidence and expert opinion are emerging that suggest phenylephrine adversely affects cerebral oxygen saturation and may also adversely affect cerebral perfusion via a reduction in cardiac output or cerebral vascular vasoconstriction. The administration of phenylephrine to treat intraoperative hypotension is common anesthesia practice, despite a lack of evidence to show it improves cerebral perfusion. Therefore, a systematic review of the effect of phenylephrine on cerebral hemodynamics has significant implications for anesthesia practice and future research.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

Studies of adults 18 years and over undergoing elective, non-neurosurgical procedures involving anesthesia were included. In these studies, participants received phenylephrine to treat intraoperative hypotension. The effect of phenylephrine on cerebral oxygen saturation, cardiac output, or middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity was measured.

METHODS

Key information sources searched included MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, CINAHL (EBSCO), and Google Scholar. The scope of the search was limited to English-language studies published from 1999 through 2017. The recommended JBI approach to critical appraisal, study selection, data extraction, and data synthesis were used.

RESULTS

This systematic review found that phenylephrine consistently decreased cerebral oxygen saturation values despite simultaneously increasing mean arterial pressure to normal range. Results also found that ephedrine and dopamine were superior to phenylephrine in maintaining or increasing values. Phenylephrine was found to be similar to vasopressin in the extent to which both decreased cerebral oxygen saturation values. Results also showed that phenylephrine resulted in statistically significant declines in cardiac output, or failed to improve abnormally low preintervention values. The effect of phenylephrine on middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity was only measured in one study and showed that phenylephrine increased flow velocity by about 20%. Statistical pooling of the study results was not possible due to the gross variation in how the intervention was administered and how effect was measured.

CONCLUSIONS

This review found that phenylephrine administration resulted in declines in cerebral oxygen saturation and cardiac output. However, the research studies were ineffective in informing phenylephrine's mechanism of action or its impact on postoperative cognitive function.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO (CRD42018100740).

Awake craniotomy in brain tumors - Technique systematization and the state of the art

The anesthesia for awake craniotomy (AC) is a consecrated anesthetic technique that has been perfected over the years. Initially used to map epileptic foci, it later became the standard technique for the removal of glial neoplasms in eloquent brain areas. We present an AC anesthesia technique consisting of three primordial times, called awake-asleep-awake, and their respective particularities, as well as delve into the anesthetic medications used. Its use in patients with low and high-grade gliomas was favorable for the resection of tumors within the functional boundaries of patients, with shorter hospital stay and lower direct costs. The present study aims to systematize the technique based on the experience of the largest philanthropic hospital in Latin America and discusses the most relevant aspects that have consolidated this technique as the most appropriate in the surgery of gliomas in eloquent areas.

Preconditioning increases brain resistance against acute brain injury via neuroinflammation modulation

Acute brain injury (ABI) is a broad concept mainly comprised of sudden parenchymal brain injury. Acute brain injury outcomes are dependent not only on the severity of the primary injury, but the delayed secondary injury that subsequently follows as well. These are both taken into consideration when determining the patient's prognosis. Growing clinical and experimental evidence demonstrates that "preconditioning," a prophylactic approach in which the brain is exposed to various pre-injury stressors, can induce varying degrees of "tolerance" against the impact of the ABI by modulating neuroinflammation. In this review, we will summarize the pathophysiology of ABI, and discuss the involved mechanisms of neuroinflammation in ABI, as well as existing experimental and clinical studies demonstrating the efficacy of preconditioning methods in various types of ABI by modulating neuroinflammation.

Decompressive Surgery for Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury, which is a clinical spectrum, requires a thorough evaluation and strict monitoring for clinical deterioration owing to ongoing secondary injury and raised intracranial pressure. Once the intracranial pressure has been treated with maximal medical therapy, surgical decompression is necessary and must be initiated rapidly. Anesthetic management of surgical decompression must balance reduction of the intracranial pressure, maintenance of cerebral perfusion pressures, avoidance of secondary injuries, and optimization of surgical conditions.

Inhaled anesthesia in neurosurgery: Still a role?

In patients undergoing craniotomy, general anesthesia should be addressed to warrant good hypnosis, immobility, and analgesia, to ensure systemic and cerebral physiological status and provide the best possible surgical field. Regarding craniotomies, it is unclear if there are substantial differences in providing general anesthesia using total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) or balanced anesthesia (BA) accomplished using the third generation halogenates. New evidence highlighted that the last generation of halogenated agents has possible advantages compared with intravenous drugs: rapid induction, minimal absorption and metabolization, reproducible pharmacokinetic, faster recovery, cardioprotective effect, and opioid spare analgesia. This review aims to report evidence related to the use of the latest halogenated agents in patients undergoing craniotomy and to present available clinical evidence on their effects: cerebral and systemic hemodynamic, neurophysiological monitoring, and timing and quality of recovery after anesthesia.

Sevoflurane versus PRopofol combined with Remifentanil anesthesia Impact on postoperative Neurologic function in supratentorial Gliomas (SPRING): protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Patients with intracranial tumors are more sensitive to anesthetics than the general population and are therefore more susceptible to postoperative neurologic and neurocognitive dysfunction. Sevoflurane or propofol combined with remifentanil are widely used general anesthetic regimens for craniotomy, with neither regimen shown to be superior to the other in terms of neuroprotective efficacy and anesthesia quality. There is no evidence regarding the variable effects on postoperative neurologic and neurocognitive functional outcome under these two general anesthetic regimens. This trial will compare inhalational sevoflurane or intravenous propofol combined with remifentanil anesthesia in patients with supratentorial gliomas and test the hypothesis that postoperative neurologic function is equally affected between the two regimens.

Methods

This is a prospective, single-center, randomized parallel arm equivalent clinical trial, which is approved by China Ethics Committee of Registering Clinical Trials (ChiECRCT-20,160,051). Patients with supratentorial gliomas diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging will be eligible for the trial. Written informed consent will be obtained before randomly assigning each subject to either the sevoflurane-remifentanil or propofol-remifentanil group for anesthesia maintenance to achieve an equal-desired depth of anesthesia. Intraoperative intervention and monitoring will follow a standard anesthetic management protocol. All of the physiological parameters and other medications administered during the intervention will be recorded. The primary outcome will be neurologic function change assessed by National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) within 4 h after general anesthesia when observer’s assessment of alertness/sedation (OAA/S) reaches 4. Secondary outcomes will include NIHSS and modified NIHSS change 1 and 2 days after general anesthesia, hemodynamic stability, intraoperative brain relaxation, quality of anesthesia emergence, quality of anesthesia recovery, postoperative cognitive function, postoperative pain, postoperative neurologic complications, as well as perioperative medical expense.

Discussion

This randomized equivalency trial will primarily compare the impacts of sevoflurane-remifentanil and propofol-remifentanil anesthesia on short-term postoperative neurologic function in patients with supratentorial gliomas undergoing craniotomy. The exclusion criteria are strict to ensure that the groups are comparable in all aspects. Repeated and routine neurologic evaluations after operation are always important to evaluate neurosurgical patients’ recovery and any newly presenting complications. The results of this trial would help specifically to interpret anesthetic residual effects on postoperative outcomes, and perhaps would help the anesthesiologist to select the optimal anesthetic regimen to minimize its impact on neurologic function in this specific patient population.

Trial registration

The study was registered and approved by the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-IOR-16009177). Principle investigator: Nan Lin (email address: linnan127@gmail.com) and Ruquan Han (email address: hanrq666@aliyun.com) Date of Registration: September 8th, 2016. Country of recruitment: China.

Anesthetic considerations for extracranial injuries in patients with associated brain trauma

Patients with severe traumatic brain injury often presents with extracranial injuries, which may contribute to fatal outcome. Anesthetic management of such polytrauma patients is extremely challenging that includes prioritizing the organ system to be dealt first, reducing on-going injury, and preventing secondary injuries. Neuroprotective and neurorescue measures should be instituted simultaneously during extracranial surgeries. Selection of anesthetic drugs that minimally interferes with cerebral dynamics, maintenance of hemodynamics and cerebral perfusion pressure, optimal utilization of multimodal monitoring techniques, and aggressive rehabilitation approach are the key factors for improving overall patient outcome.

General anesthesia considerations in CADASIL disease

CADASIL (cerebral arteriopathy, autosomal dominant, with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy) disease is an inherited systemic arterial disease that affects the small and medium calibre cerebral vessels. Around 500 families are affected in the world, most of them in Europe. It is characterised by migraine attacks, subcortical dementia, neuropsychiatric disorders, and recurrent ischaemic strokes. The objective of this article is to describe, for the first time in the literature, the management by general anaesthesia of an intracranial neurosurgical procedure in a patient with CADASIL disease. Continuous monitoring of blood pressure is considered essential, as well as the maintenance of normocapnia and normothermia to avoid the development of new cerebrovascular accidents. This disease is relevant due to its anaesthetic implications and the few publications to date.

The choice of the hypnotic drug (volatile or propofol) for maintenance of anesthesia does not influence surgical conditions during cranioplasty

Background and Aims:

In contrast to propofol, volatile agents are often considered harmful to maintain anesthesia due to increasing brain volume and potential deleterious effects. Patients for cranioplasty, including patients with large bone defects, could be susceptible for intraoperative complications but have not properly been investigated so far. The aim of the present study was to evaluate brain swelling, intraoperative conditions, surgical course, and postoperative complication rates of propofol-based vs. volatile-based anesthesia.

Material and Methods:

In this monocentric, retrospective, and observational study, we collected demographic, clinical, and outcome data of patients undergoing cranioplasty between December 2010 and September 2014. According to the hypnotic drug used, patients were assigned to either a propofol or a volatile group. The primary outcome parameter was brain swelling. For comparison of the groups, univariate analysis was performed using Chi-square and Mann–Whitney-U test.

Results:

One hundred and one patients were identified in the period. Twenty-three patients were excluded due to cerebrospinal fluid diversion. Baseline characteristics and preoperative conditions did not vary between the groups except a higher body mass index and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) in the propofol group. The choice of anesthesia (volatile or intravenous) influence neither the intraoperative local conditions nor postoperative complication rate. No significant risk factor for impaired bone flap placement was identified.

Conclusions:

In a well-defined cohort, the choice of the anesthetic agent does not influence the degree of intraoperative brain swelling, bone flap fit, and postoperative course.

A randomised trial to compare the increase in intracranial pressure as correlated with the optic nerve sheath diameter during propofol versus sevoflurane-maintained anesthesia in robot-assisted laparoscopic pelvic surgery

Robot-assisted surgery can cause raised intracranial pressures (ICP) due to steep trendelenburg position and pneumoperitoneum. The choice of anesthetic agents can influence the ICP, which can be measured indirectly by correlating it with the sonographically measured optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD). In this study, our primary aim was to compare the change from baseline of the ONSD during propofol versus sevoflurane-maintained anesthesia in patients undergoing robotic pelvic surgery. In this prospective, interventional, double-blinded study, we randomised 50 patients into two groups P and S. Subjects in group P received intravenous propofol infusion while those in group S received inhalation sevoflurane for maintenance of anesthesia. The ONSD at fixed intervals was noted as the mean of four values measured using ultrasound in both eyes by two independent anesthesiologists who were blinded to the group allocation. The patient demographics and baseline parameters were similar. The mean maximum rise in ONSD from baseline was 0.01 ± 0.01 cm in group P while it was 0.03 ± 0.01 cm in group S (p = 0.001). Percentage change from baseline in group P was 3.41 ± 1.81% and 8.00 ± 2.95% in group S (p = 0.001). We found a positive correlation between the duration of surgery and the maximum rise in ONSD in group S (p = 0.003), but not in group P. Propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia is more effective than inhalation sevoflurane in attenuating the increase in ICP as correlated with the ONSD during robotic pelvic surgery.Clinical trial registration: Yes; Principal investigator: Nambiath Sujata; Trial number: REF/2016/11/012713 (registered); Trial registry: CTRI- http://ctri.nic.in .

The effect of phenylephrine on cerebral perfusion when used to treat anesthesia-induced hypotension: a systematic review protocol

REVIEW QUESTION

The question of this review is: What is the effect of intravenous phenylephrine on cerebral perfusion in adult patients when administered to treat anesthesia-induced hypotension?

Intraoperative Secondary Insults During Orthopedic Surgery in Traumatic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND

Secondary insults worsen outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, data on intraoperative secondary insults are sparse. The primary aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of intraoperative secondary insults during orthopedic surgery after moderate-severe TBI. We also examined the impact of intraoperative secondary insults on postoperative head computed tomographic scan, intracranial pressure (ICP), and escalation of care within 24 hours of surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed medical records of TBI patients 18 years and above with Glasgow Coma Scale score <13 who underwent single orthopedic surgery within 2 weeks of TBI. Secondary insults examined were: systemic hypotension (systolic blood pressure<90 mm Hg), intracranial hypertension (ICP>20 mm Hg), cerebral hypotension (cerebral perfusion pressure<50 mm Hg), hypercarbia (end-tidal CO2>40 mm Hg), hypocarbia (end-tidal CO2<30 mm Hg in absence of intracranial hypertension), hyperglycemia (glucose>200 mg/dL), hypoglycemia (glucose<60 mg/dL), and hyperthermia (temperature >38°C).

RESULTS

A total of 78 patients (41 [18 to 81] y, 68% male) met the inclusion criteria. The most common intraoperative secondary insults were systemic hypotension (60%), intracranial hypertension and cerebral hypotension (50% and 45%, respectively, in patients with ICP monitoring), hypercarbia (32%), and hypocarbia (29%). Intraoperative secondary insults were associated with worsening of head computed tomography, postoperative decrease of Glasgow Coma Scale score by ≥2, and escalation of care. After Bonferroni correction, association between cerebral hypotension and postoperative escalation of care remained significant (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative secondary insults were common during orthopedic surgery in patients with TBI and were associated with postoperative escalation of care. Strategies to minimize intraoperative secondary insults are needed.

Comparison of volatile anesthetic-induced preconditioning in cardiac and cerebral system: molecular mechanisms and clinical aspects

Volatile anesthetic-induced preconditioning (APC) has shown to have cardiac and cerebral protective properties in both pre-clinical models and clinical trials. Interestingly, accumulating evidences demonstrate that, except from some specific characters, the underlying molecular mechanisms of APC-induced protective effects in myocytes and neurons are very similar; they share several major intracellular signaling pathways, including mediating mitochondrial function, release of inflammatory cytokines and cell apoptosis. Among all the experimental results, cortical spreading depolarization is a relative newly discovered cellular mechanism of APC, which, however, just exists in central nervous system. Applying volatile anesthetic preconditioning to clinical practice seems to be a promising cardio-and neuroprotective strategy. In this review, we also summarized and discussed the results of recent clinical research of APC. Despite all the positive experimental evidences, large-scale, long-term, more precisely controlled clinical trials focusing on the perioperative use of volatile anesthetics for organ protection are still needed.

The influence of norepinephrine and phenylephrine on cerebral perfusion and oxygenation during propofol-remifentanil and propofol-remifentanil-dexmedetomidine anaesthesia in piglets

Background

Vasopressors are frequently used to increase blood pressure in order to ensure sufficient cerebral perfusion and oxygenation (CPO) during hypotensive periods in anaesthetized patients. Efficacy depends both on the vasopressor and anaesthetic protocol used. Propofol–remifentanil total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is common in human anaesthesia, and dexmedetomidine is increasingly used as adjuvant to facilitate better haemodynamic stability and analgesia. Little is known of its interaction with vasopressors and subsequent effects on CPO. This study investigates the CPO response to infusions of norepinephrine and phenylephrine in piglets during propofol–remifentanil and propofol–remifentanil–dexmedetomidine anaesthesia. Sixteen healthy female piglets (25–34 kg) were randomly allocated into a two-arm parallel group design with either normal blood pressure (NBP) or induced low blood pressure (LBP). Anaesthesia was induced with propofol without premedication and maintained with propofol–remifentanil TIVA, and finally supplemented with continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine. Norepinephrine and phenylephrine were infused in consecutive intervention periods before and after addition of dexmedetomidine. Cerebral perfusion measured by laser speckle contrast imaging was related to cerebral oxygenation as measured by an intracerebral Licox probe (partial pressure of oxygen) and transcranial near infrared spectroscopy technology (NIRS) (cerebral oxygen saturation).

Results

During propofol–remifentanil anaesthesia, increases in blood pressure by norepinephrine and phenylephrine did not change cerebral perfusion significantly, but cerebral partial pressure of oxygen (Licox) increased following vasopressors in both groups and increases following norepinephrine were significant (NBP: P = 0.04, LBP: P = 0.02). In contrast, cerebral oxygen saturation (NIRS) fell significantly in NBP following phenylephrine (P = 0.003), and following both norepinephrine (P = 0.02) and phenylephrine (P = 0.002) in LBP. Blood pressure increase by both norepinephrine and phenylephrine during propofol–remifentanil–dexmedetomidine anaesthesia was not followed by significant changes in cerebral perfusion. Licox measures increased significantly following both vasopressors in both groups, whereas the decreases in NIRS measures were only significant in the NBP group.

Conclusions

Cerebral partial pressure of oxygen measured by Licox increased significantly in concert with the vasopressor induced increases in blood pressure in healthy piglets with both normal and low blood pressure. Cerebral oxygenation assessed by intracerebral Licox and transcranial NIRS showed opposing results to vasopressor infusions.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13028-018-0362-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Effect of Sevoflurane Plus Propofol on Pain and Complications after Laminectomy: A Randomized Double Blind Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION

Pain is one of the most important reasons for the patients concern after surgery. The perfect sedative should have properties like rapid onset, least pain and adverse effects.

AIM

To assess the effect of sevoflurane plus propofol on postoperative pain, haemodynamic stability and complication after lumbar disc surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a randomized double- blind clinical trial. A total of 75 patients scheduled for elective lumbar disc surgery with simple random sampling design received sevoflurane (n=25, induced with Thiopentone and maintained with sevoflurane), propofol (n=25, induced and maintained with propofol) and sevoflurane plus propofol (n=25, induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane). Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to determine the intensity of postoperative pain. Complications after surgery and haemodynamic changes during surgery were recorded.

RESULTS

The mean pain intensity and morphine consumption in the sevoflurane plus propofol group was lower compared to the propofol and sevoflurane groups at different intervals (p<0.001). The prevalence of shivering, nausea and vomiting in the sevoflurane plus propofol group was 24%, 28%, 28% respectively vs sevoflurane group 32%, 60%, 48% respectively and propofol group 32%, 16%, 12% respectively with p-value > 0.05, <0.001, <0.05 respectively. The mean blood pressure and heart rate were significantly lower in the sevoflurane plus propofol group compared to the propofol and sevoflurane groups (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

According to the effect on pain and complications after lumbar disc surgery sevoflurane plus propofol can be regarded as safe and alternative drug in general anaesthesia for these patients.

Sevoflurane preserves regional cerebral oxygen saturation better than propofol: Randomized controlled trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To investigate possible effects of volatile induction and maintenance anesthesia with sevoflurane (VIMA) and total intravenous anesthesia with propofol (TIVA) on regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rcSo₂) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

DESIGN

Randomized, prospective and single-blinded study.

SETTING

Academic hospital.

PATIENTS

ASA physical status of I and II surgical patients, scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy from March 2013 to October 2014.

MEASUREMENTS

Changes of regional cerebral oxygen saturation were measured by near-infrared spectroscopy on the left and right sides of forehead at different time points: before anesthesia induction (Tbas), immediately after induction (Tind), after applaying a pneumoperitoneum (TCo₂), 10 minutes after positioning the patient into reverse Trendelenburg's position (TrtCo₂), immediately after desufflation of gas (Tpost) and 30 (Trec30) and 60 (Trec60) minutes after emergence from anesthesia.

MAIN RESULTS

Study population included 124 patients, 62 in each group. There was no significant difference between these groups according to demographic characteristics, surgery and anesthesia times as well as in the basal rcSo₂ values. Statistically higher rSco₂ values were noted in the VIMA group when compared to the TIVA group in all time points Tind, TCo₂, TrtCo₂, Tpost, Trec30 and Trec60 and incidence of critical rcSo₂ decreases was statistically lower in VIMA group (P<.05). There were no serious perioperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

VIMA technique provides significantly (4%-11%) higher rcSO₂ values during general anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, when compared with TIVA and also provides significantly less number of critical rcSO₂ decreases.

Anesthesia for Patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a wide spectrum of disease and disease severity. Because the primary brain injury occurs before the patient enters the health care system, medical interventions seek principally to prevent secondary injury. Anesthesia teams that provide care for patients with TBI both in and out of the operating room should be aware of the specific therapies and needs of this unique and complex patient population.

Intravenous versus inhalational techniques for rapid emergence from anaesthesia in patients undergoing brain tumour surgery

BACKGROUND

Brain tumour surgery usually is carried out with the patient under general anaesthesia. Over past years, both intravenous and inhalational anaesthetic agents have been used, but the superiority of one agent over the other is a topic of ongoing debate. Early and rapid emergence from anaesthesia is desirable for most neurosurgical patients. With the availability of newer intravenous and inhalational anaesthetic agents, all of which have inherent advantages and disadvantages, we remain uncertain as to which technique may result in more rapid early recovery from anaesthesia.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of intravenous versus inhalational techniques for rapid emergence from anaesthesia in patients undergoing brain tumour surgery.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2014, Issue 6) in The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE via Ovid SP (1966 to June 2014) and Embase via Ovid SP (1980 to June 2014). We also searched specific websites, such as www.indmed.nic.in, www.cochrane-sadcct.org and www.Clinicaltrials.gov (October 2014). We reran the searches for all databases in March 2016, and when we update the review, we will deal with the two studies of interest found through this search that are awaiting classification.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the use of intravenous anaesthetic agents such as propofol and thiopentone with inhalational anaesthetic agents such as isoflurane and sevoflurane for maintenance of general anaesthesia during brain tumour surgery. Primary outcomes were emergence from anaesthesia (assessed by time to follow verbal commands, in minutes) and adverse events during emergence, such as haemodynamic changes, agitation, desaturation, muscle weakness, nausea and vomiting, shivering and pain. Secondary outcomes were time to eye opening, recovery from anaesthesia using the Aldrete or Modified Aldrete score (i.e. time to attain score ≥ 9, in minutes), opioid consumption, brain relaxation (as assessed by the surgeon on a 4- or 5-point scale) and complications of anaesthetic techniques, such as intraoperative haemodynamic instability in terms of hypotension or hypertension (mmHg), increased or decreased heart rate (beats/min) and brain swelling.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standardized methods in conducting the systematic review, as described by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Two review authors independently extracted details of trial methods and outcome data from reports of all trials considered eligible for inclusion. We performed all analyses on an intention-to-treat basis. We used a fixed-effect model when we found no evidence of significant heterogeneity between studies, and a random-effects model when heterogeneity was likely. For assessments of the overall quality of evidence for each outcome that included pooled data from RCTs only, we downgraded the evidence from 'high quality' by one level for serious (or by two levels for very serious) study limitations (risk of bias), indirectness of evidence, serious inconsistency, imprecision of effect or potential publication bias.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 15 RCTs with 1833 participants. We determined that none of the RCTs were of high methodological quality. For our primary outcomes, pooled results from two trials suggest that time to emergence from anaesthesia, that is, time needed to follow verbal commands, was longer with isoflurane than with propofol (mean difference (MD) -3.29 minutes, 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.41 to -1.18, low-quality evidence), and time to emergence from anaesthesia was not different with sevoflurane compared with propofol (MD 0.28 minutes slower with sevoflurane, 95% CI -0.56 to 1.12, four studies, low-quality evidence). Pooled analyses for adverse events suggest lower risk of nausea and vomiting with propofol than with sevoflurane (risk ratio (RR) 0.68, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.91, low-quality evidence) or isoflurane (RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.78) and greater risk of haemodynamic changes with propofol than with sevoflurane (RR 1.85, 95% CI 1.07 to 3.17), but no differences in the risk of shivering or pain. Pooled analyses for brain relaxation suggest lower risk of tense brain with propofol than with isoflurane (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.17, low-quality evidence), but no difference when propofol is compared with sevoflurane.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The finding of our review is that the intravenous technique is comparable with the inhalational technique of using sevoflurane to provide early emergence from anaesthesia. Adverse events with both techniques are also comparable. However, we derived evidence of low quality from a limited number of studies. Use of isoflurane delays emergence from anaesthesia. These results should be interpreted with caution. Randomized controlled trials based on uniform and standard methods are needed. Researchers should follow proper methods of randomization and blinding, and trials should be adequately powered.

Classifying multiple types of hand motions using electrocorticography during intraoperative awake craniotomy and seizure monitoring processes-case studies

In this work, some case studies were conducted to classify several kinds of hand motions from electrocorticography (ECoG) signals during intraoperative awake craniotomy & extraoperative seizure monitoring processes. Four subjects (P1, P2 with intractable epilepsy during seizure monitoring and P3, P4 with brain tumor during awake craniotomy) participated in the experiments. Subjects performed three types of hand motions (Grasp, Thumb-finger motion and Index-finger motion) contralateral to the motor cortex covered with ECoG electrodes. Two methods were used for signal processing. Method I: autoregressive (AR) model with burg method was applied to extract features, and additional waveform length (WL) feature has been considered, finally the linear discriminative analysis (LDA) was used as the classifier. Method II: stationary subspace analysis (SSA) was applied for data preprocessing, and the common spatial pattern (CSP) was used for feature extraction before LDA decoding process. Applying method I, the three-class accuracy of P1~P4 were 90.17, 96.00, 91.77, and 92.95% respectively. For method II, the three-class accuracy of P1~P4 were 72.00, 93.17, 95.22, and 90.36% respectively. This study verified the possibility of decoding multiple hand motion types during an awake craniotomy, which is the first step toward dexterous neuroprosthetic control during surgical implantation, in order to verify the optimal placement of electrodes. The accuracy during awake craniotomy was comparable to results during seizure monitoring. This study also indicated that ECoG was a promising approach for precise identification of eloquent cortex during awake craniotomy, and might form a promising BCI system that could benefit both patients and neurosurgeons.

Effects of Anesthetic Management on Early Postoperative Recovery, Hemodynamics and Pain After Supratentorial Craniotomy

Various clinical trials have assessed how intraoperative anesthetics can affect early recovery, hemodynamics and nociception after supratentorial craniotomy. Whether or not the difference in recovery pattern differs in a meaningful way with anesthetic choice is controversial. This review examines and compares different anesthetics with respect to wake-up time, hemodynamics, respiration, cognitive recovery, pain, nausea and vomiting, and shivering. When comparing inhalational anesthetics to intravenous anesthetics, either regimen produces similar recovery results. Newer shorter acting agents accelerate the process of emergence and extubation. A balanced inhalational/intravenous anesthetic could be desirable for patients with normal intracranial pressure, while total intravenous anesthesia could be beneficial for patients with elevated intracranial pressure. Comparison of inhalational anesthetics shows all appropriate for rapid emergence, decreasing time to extubation, and cognitive recovery. Comparison of opioids demonstrates similar awakening and extubation time if the infusion of longer acting opioids was ended at the appropriate time. Administration of local anesthetics into the skin, and addition of corticosteroids, NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors, and PCA therapy postoperatively provided superior analgesia. It is also important to emphasize the possibility of long-term effects of anesthetics on cognitive function. More research is warranted to develop best practices strategies for the future that are evidence-based.

Comparative evaluation of propofol, sevoflurane and desflurane for neuroanaesthesia: A prospective randomised study in patients undergoing elective supratentorial craniotomy

Background and Aims:

Both inhalational and intravenous anaesthetic agents are being used for neuroanaesthesia. Clinical trials comparing “propofol and sevoflurane” and “desflurane and sevoflurane” have been published. However, the comparison of all the three anaesthetics in neurosurgical patients has not been done. A randomised clinical study was carried out comparing propofol, sevoflurane and desflurane to find the ideal neuroanaesthetic agent.

Methods:

A total of 75 adult patients undergoing elective craniotomy for supratentorial tumours were included in the study. The patients were induced with morphine 0.1 mg/kg and thiopentone 4-6 mg/kg. Neuromuscular blockade was facilitated with vecuronium. The patients were randomised to receive propofol, sevoflurane or desflurane along with nitrous oxide in oxygen for maintenance of anaesthesia. The neuromuscular blockade was reversed following the surgery once the patients opened eyes or responded to verbal commands. The three anaesthetics were compared for their effects on haemodynamics, brain relaxation and emergence characteristics.

Results:

The mean arterial blood pressure during anaesthesia was comparable among the groups. The patients receiving sevoflurane had faster heart rates intraoperatively when compared to desflurane (P < 0.05). The brain relaxation scores at various intraoperative time frames were comparable among the three groups (P > 0.05). The time to response to verbal commands were significantly prolonged with use of sevoflurane (8.0 ± 2.9 min) when compared to propofol (5.3 ± 2.9 min) and desflurane (5.2 ± 2.6 min) (P = 0.003). However, the time to emergence and the number of patients who had early emergence (<15 min) were comparable among the groups (P > 0.05). The quality of emergence (coughing and emergence agitation), as well as postoperative complications, were also comparable among the three groups.

Conclusions:

All the three anaesthetic agents-propofol, sevoflurane and desflurane appear comparable and acceptable with regard to their clinical profile during anaesthesia in patients undergoing elective supratentorial surgeries.

Modern inhalational anesthetics for refractory status epilepticus

BACKGROUND

Our goal was to perform a systematic review of the literature on the use of modern inhalational anesthetic agents for refractory status epilepticus and their impact on seizure control.

METHODS

All articles from MEDLINE, BIOSIS, EMBASE, Global Health, HealthStar, Scopus, Cochrane Library, the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (inception to March 2014), reference lists of relevant articles, and gray literature were searched. The strength of evidence was adjudicated using both the Oxford and Grading of Recommendation Assessment Development and Education methodology by two independent reviewers.

RESULTS

Overall, 19 studies were identified, with 16 manuscripts and 3 meeting abstracts. A total of 46 patients were treated. Adult (n=28) and pediatric patients (n=18) displayed 92.9% and 94.4% seizure control with treatment, respectively. Isoflurane was used in the majority of cases. Hypotension was the only complication described.

CONCLUSIONS

Oxford level 4, Grading of Recommendation Assessment Development and Education D evidence exists to support the use of isoflurane in refractory status epilepticus to obtain burst suppression. Insufficient data exist to comment on the efficacy of desflurane and xenon at this time.

Update on the 2012 guidelines for the management of pediatric traumatic brain injury - information for the anesthesiologist

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant contributor to death and disability in children. Considering the prevalence of pediatric TBI, it is important for the clinician to be aware of evidence-based recommendations for the care of these patients. The first edition of the Guidelines for the Acute Medical Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Infants, Children, and Adolescents was published in 2003. The Guidelines were updated in 2012, with significant changes in the recommendations for hyperosmolar therapy, temperature control, hyperventilation, corticosteroids, glucose therapy, and seizure prophylaxis. Many of these interventions have implications in the perioperative period, and it is the responsibility of the anesthesiologist to be familiar with these guidelines.

Specificity of stimulus-evoked fMRI responses in the mouse: the influence of systemic physiological changes associated with innocuous stimulation under four different anesthetics

Functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) in mice has become an attractive tool for mechanistic studies, for characterizing models of human disease, and for evaluation of novel therapies. Yet, controlling the physiological state of mice is challenging, but nevertheless important as changes in cardiovascular parameters might affect the hemodynamic readout which constitutes the basics of the fMRI signal. In contrast to rats, fMRI studies in mice report less robust brain activation of rather widespread character to innocuous sensory stimulation. Anesthesia is known to influence the characteristics of the fMRI signal. To evaluate modulatory effects imposed by the anesthesia on stimulus-evoked fMRI responses, we compared blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) signal changes to electrical hindpaw stimulation using the four commonly used anesthetics isoflurane, medetomidine, propofol and urethane. fMRI measurements were complemented by assessing systemic physiological parameters throughout the experiment. Unilateral stimulation of the hindpaw elicited widespread fMRI responses in the mouse brain displaying a bilateral pattern irrespective of the anesthetic used. Analysis of magnitude and temporal profile of BOLD and CBV signals indicated anesthesia-specific modulation of cerebral hemodynamic responses and differences observed for the four anesthetics could be largely explained by their known effects on animal physiology. Strikingly, independent of the anesthetic used our results reveal that fMRI responses are influenced by stimulus-induced cardiovascular changes, which indicate an arousal response, even to innocuous stimulation. This may mask specific fMRI signal associated to the stimulus. Hence, studying the processing of peripheral input in mice using fMRI techniques constitutes a major challenge and adapted paradigms and/or alternative fMRI readouts should also be considered when studying sensory processing in mice.

Comparison of propofol and volatile agents for maintenance of anesthesia during elective craniotomy procedures: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Both propofol and volatile anesthetics are commonly used for maintenance of anesthesia in patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures. The effects of these two classes of drugs on cerebral hemodynamics have been compared in many clinical trials The objectives of this review were to evaluate the cerebral hemodynamic effects, operative conditions, recovery profiles, postoperative complications, and neurological outcomes of propofol-based vs volatile-based anesthesia for craniotomy.

METHODS

MEDLINE®, EMBASE™, Cochrane, and other relevant databases were searched for randomized controlled trials that compared propofol-maintained anesthesia with volatile-maintained anesthesia in adult patients undergoing elective craniotomy. The primary outcome measure was the intraoperative brain relaxation score. Secondary outcome measures included intraoperative cerebral hemodynamics (intracranial pressure [ICP], cerebral perfusion pressure [CPP]), cardiovascular changes, recovery profiles, postoperative complications, and clinical outcomes (neurological morbidity, mortality, quality of life). A meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model to compare the outcomes of the two anesthetic techniques.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies (1,819 patients) met inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Brain relaxation scores were similar between the two groups after dural opening; however, ICP was lower (weighted mean difference of -5.2 mmHg; 95% confidence interval -6.81 to -3.6) and CPP was higher (weighted mean difference of 16.3 mmHg; 95% confidence interval 12.2 to 20.46) in patients receiving propofol-maintained anesthesia. Postoperative complications and recovery profiles were similar between the two groups, except for postoperative nausea and vomiting being less frequent with propofol-maintained anesthesia. There were inadequate data to perform a meta-analysis on clinical outcome.

CONCLUSION

Propofol-maintained and volatile-maintained anesthesia were associated with similar brain relaxation scores, although mean ICP values were lower and CPP values higher with propofol-maintained anesthesia. There are inadequate data to compare clinically significant outcomes such as neurological morbidity or mortality.

Perioperative management of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health problem and the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Despite the modern diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis for patients with TBI remains poor. While severity of primary injury is the major factor determining the outcomes, the secondary injury caused by physiological insults such as hypotension, hypoxemia, hypercarbia, hypocarbia, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, etc. that develop over time after the onset of the initial injury, causes further damage to brain tissue, worsening the outcome in TBI. Perioperative period may be particularly important in the course of TBI management. While surgery and anesthesia may predispose the patients to new onset secondary injuries which may contribute adversely to outcomes, the perioperative period is also an opportunity to detect and correct the undiagnosed pre-existing secondary insults, to prevent against new secondary insults and is a potential window to initiate interventions that may improve outcome of TBI. For this review, extensive Pubmed and Medline search on various aspects of perioperative management of TBI was performed, followed by review of research focusing on intraoperative and perioperative period. While the research focusing specifically on the intraoperative and immediate perioperative TBI management is limited, clinical management continues to be based largely on physiological optimization and recommendations of Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines. This review is focused on the perioperative management of TBI, with particular emphasis on recent developments.

Perioperative management of pediatric trauma patients

Pediatric trauma presents significant challenges to the anesthesia provider.

This review describes the current trends in perioperative anesthetic management, including airway management, choice of anesthesia agents, and fluid administration.

The review is based on the PubMed search of literature on perioperative care of severely injured children.

A multicentre, randomised, open-label, controlled trial evaluating equivalence of inhalational and intravenous anaesthesia during elective craniotomy

CONTEXT

A clear preference for intravenous or inhalational anaesthesia has not been established for craniotomy in patients without signs of cerebral hypertension.

OBJECTIVES

The NeuroMorfeo trial was designed to test equivalence of inhalational and intravenous anaesthesia maintenance techniques in the postoperative recovery of patients undergoing elective supratentorial surgery.

DESIGN

This trial is a multicentre, randomised, open-label, equivalence design. A balanced stratified randomisation scheme was maintained using a centralised randomisation service. Equivalence was tested using the two one-sided tests procedure.

SETTING

Fourteen Italian neuroanaesthesia centres participated in the study from December 2007 to March 2009.

PATIENTS

Adults, 18 to 75 years old, scheduled for elective supratentorial intracranial surgery under general anaesthesia were eligible for enrolment if they had a normal preoperative level of consciousness and no clinical signs of intracranial hypertension.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomised to one of three anaesthesia maintenance protocols to determine if sevoflurane-remifentanil or sevoflurane-fentanyl were equivalent to propofol-remifentanil.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the time to achieve an Aldrete postanaesthesia score of at least 9 after tracheal extubation. Secondary endpoints included haemodynamic parameters, quality of the surgical field, perioperative neuroendocrine stress responses and routine postoperative assessments.

RESULTS

Four hundred and eleven patients [51% men, mean age 54.8 (SD 13.3) years] were enrolled. Primary outcome data were available for 380. Median (interquartiles) times to reach an Aldrete score of at least 9 were 3.48 (2.02 to 7.56), 3.25 (1.21 to 6.45) and 3.32  min (1.40 to 8.33) for sevoflurane-fentanyl, sevoflurane-remifentanil and propofol-remifentanil anaesthesia respectively, which confirmed equivalence using the two one-sided tests approach. Between-treatment differences in haemodynamic variables were small and not clinically relevant. Urinary catecholamine and cortisol responses had significantly lower activation with propofol-remifentanil. Postoperative pain and analgesic requirements were significantly higher in the remifentanil groups.

CONCLUSION

Equivalence was shown for inhalational and intravenous maintenance anaesthesia in times to reach an Aldrete score of at least 9 after tracheal extubation. Haemodynamic variables, the quality of surgical field and postoperative assessments were also similar. Perioperative endocrine stress responses were significantly blunted with propofol-remifentanil and higher analgesic requirements were recorded in the remifentanil groups.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Eudract 2007-005279-32.

Perioperative management of the pediatric patient with traumatic brain injury

TBI and its sequelae remain a major healthcare issue throughout the world. With an improved understanding of the pathophysiology of TBI, refinements of monitoring technology, and ongoing research to determine optimal care, the prognosis of TBI continues to improve. In 2003, the Society of Critical Care Medicine published guidelines for the acute management of severe TBI in infants, children, and adolescents. As pediatric anesthesiologists are frequently involved in the perioperative management of such patients including their stabilization in the emergency department, familiarity with these guidelines is necessary to limit preventable secondary damage related to physiologic disturbances. This manuscript reviews the current evidence-based medicine regarding the care of pediatric patients with TBI as it relates to the perioperative care of such patients. The issues reviewed include those related to initial stabilization, airway management, intra-operative mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic support, administration of blood and blood products, positioning, and choice of anesthetic technique. The literature is reviewed regarding fluid management, glucose control, hyperosmolar therapy, therapeutic hypothermia, and corticosteroids. Whenever possible, management recommendations are provided.

Perioperative management of adult traumatic brain injury

This article presents an overview of the management of traumatic brain injury (TBI) as relevant to the practicing anesthesiologist. Key concepts surrounding the pathophysiology and anesthetic principles are used to describe potential ways to reduce secondary insults and improve outcomes after TBI.

Superior recovery profiles of propofol-based regimen as compared to isoflurane-based regimen in patients undergoing craniotomy for primary brain tumor excision: a retrospective study

PURPOSE

Studies comparing the recovery profiles of isoflurane- and propofol-based anesthesia for major intracranial surgery have reported contradictory results. The aim of our study was to clarify the emergence status in both regimens by investigating uniformly managed neuroanesthesia cases.

METHODS

The anesthesia database at Yamagata University Hospital covering the period 2002-2005 was retrospectively investigated for adult patients who underwent craniotomy for primary brain tumor excision. General anesthesia was provided by an isoflurane- (ISO group) or propofol-based (PROP group) regimen. Times to extubation and operating room (OR) discharge, perioperative consciousness levels, and perioperative variables were compared.

RESULTS

Of the 202 surgeries performed during the study period, 77 and 82 patients were anesthetized with isoflurane and propofol, respectively. Demographic data were comparable between the two groups, although the American Society of Anesthesiology grade was worse in the PROP group. Extubation times [39.5 ± 14.6 min (ISO) vs. 29.5 ± 14.9 min (PROP); P < 0.001] and OR discharge times [67.2 ± 18.0 (ISO) vs. 53.9 ± 17.6 min (PROP); P < 0.001] were significantly shorter in the PROP, with significantly better immediate consciousness levels. The differences in levels of consciousness persisted for several hours postoperatively. PROP patients had significantly higher urine outputs and lower body temperatures during anesthesia. The incidences of shivering, nausea, vomiting, and convulsions were not significantly different between the groups. The time to discharge was similar between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Propofol was associated with a better recovery profile and neurological condition than isoflurane, as indicated by shorter extubation and OR discharge times and better postoperative consciousness.