Efficacy of low dose barbiturate coma therapy for the patients with intractable intracranial hypertension using the bispectral index monitoring

A Pilot Study of Cerebral and Hemodynamic Changes During Sedation with Low Dose of Thiopental Sodium or Propofol in Patients with Acute Brain Injury

BACKGROUND

One of the most important therapeutic maneuvers in head injury patients is to maintain Intracranial Pressure (ICP) and Cerebral Perfusion Pressure (CPP) within normal levels.

AIMS

To compare the effects of low dose of thiopental sodium and propofol on reducing ICP and CPP in patients with head injury that scheduled for neurosurgical interventions.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

Using a randomized, crossover pilot study, we enrolled patients with head injury that scheduled for neurosurgical interventions admitted to ICU unit of a teaching hospital during 2010 to 2011.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this pilot study, patients randomized into two equal groups. The first group received bolus injection of thiopental sodium 2 mg/kg and a maintenance dose of 2 mg/kg/h and the second group was given a bolus dose of propofol 0.5 mg/kg followed by propofol infusion 20 μg/kg/min. All of patients were given dexamethasone 8 mg at time of catheter insertion. ICP measurement catheter was inserted for each patient and ICP, CPP, SPO2 and MAP were recorded hourly for a period of 6 hours.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in sex and age between the two study groups (p>0.05). The mean ICP, CPP, SPO2 and arterial blood pressure were found to be similar with no significant difference between both groups (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Both propofol and thiopental sodium were equally effective in monitoring and maintaining CPP and MAP and eventually an ideal SPO2.

The Effects of Propofol and Thiopental Continuous Infusion on Serum Potassium Disturbances in Neurosurgical Patients

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Hypernatremia is associated with increased risk of mortality in pediatric severe traumatic brain injury

Acquired hypernatremia in hospitalized patients is often associated with poorer outcomes. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between acquired hypernatremia and outcome in children with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). We performed a retrospective cohort study of all severely injured trauma patients (Injury Severity Score ≥12) with sTBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] ≤8 and Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale [MAIS] ≥4) admitted to a Pediatric Critical Care Unit ([PCCU]; 2000-2009). In a cohort of 165 patients, 76% had normonatremia (135-150 mmol/L), 18% had hypernatremia (151-160 mmol/L), and 6% had severe hypernatremia (>160 mmol/L). The groups were similar except for lower GCS (p=0.002) and increased incidence of fixed pupil(s) on admission in both hypernatremia groups (p<0.001). Mortality rate was four-fold and six-fold greater with hypernatremia and severe hypernatremia, respectively (p<0.001), and mortality rates were unchanged when patients with fixed pupils or those with central diabetes insipidus were excluded (p<0.001). Hypernatremic patients had fewer ventilator-free days (p<0.001). Survivors with hypernatremia had greater PCCU (p=0.001) and hospital (p=0.031) lengths of stays and were less frequently discharged home (p=0.008). Logistic regression analyses of patient characteristics and sTBI interventions demonstrated that hypernatremia was independently associated with the presence of fixed pupil(s) on admission (odds ratio [OR] 5.38; p=0.003); administration of thiopental (OR 8.64; p=0.014), and development of central diabetes insipidus (OR 5.66; p=0.005). Additional logistic regression analyses demonstrated a significant association between hypernatremia and mortality (OR 6.660; p=0.034). In summary, acquired hypernatremia appears to signal higher risk of mortality in pediatric sTBI and is associated with a higher discharge level of care in sTBI survivors.

Comparative Study of Brain Protection Effect between Thiopental and Etomidate Using Bispectral Index during Temporary Arterial Occlusion

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to compare the effect of etomidate with that of thiopental on brain protection during temporary vessel occlusion, which was measured by burst suppression rate (BSR) with the Bispectral Index (BIS) monitor.

METHODS

Temporary parent artery occlusion was performed in forty one patients during cerebral aneurysm surgery. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups. General anesthesia was induced and maintained with 1.5-2.5 vol% sevoflurane and 50% N(2)O. The pharmacological burst suppression (BS) was induced by a bolus injection of thiopental (5 mg/kg, group T) or etomidate (0.3 mg/kg, group E) according to randomization prior to surgery. After administration of drugs, the hemodynamic variables, the onset time of BS, the numerical values of BIS and BSR were recorded at every minutes.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences of the demographics, the BIS numbers and the hemodynamic variables prior to injection of drugs. The durations of burst suppression in group E (11.1±6.8 min) were not statistically different from that of group T (11.1±5.6 min) and nearly same pattern of burst suppression were shown in both groups. More phenylephrine was required to maintain normal blood pressure in the group T.

CONCLUSION

Thiopental and etomidate have same duration and a similar magnitude of burst suppression with conventional doses during temporary arterial occlusion. These findings suggest that additional administration of either drug is needed to ensure the BS when the temporary occlusion time exceed more than 11 minutes. Etomidate can be a safer substitute for thiopental in aneurysm surgery.