SEVOFLURANE DOES NOT INCREASE INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE IN HYPERVENTILATED DOGS

We have measured the effects of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 MAC (minimumalveolar concentration) endtidal concentrations of sevolluraneon intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure(CPP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressureand heart rate in hypocapnic dogs (Pa_c02, 3.2–3.7 kPa)and compared the data with those produced by equi-MAC concentrationsof enflurane and halothane. Enflurane and halothane caused smallbut significant increases in ICP at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 MAC, butthere were no changes with sevoflurane. However, sevofluranecaused a considerable decrease in MAP with consequent decreasein CPP. We conclude that sevollurane should be a suitable agentfor neuroanaesthesia and is preferable to either enflurane orhalothane. (Br. J. Anaesth. 1993; 71: 551–555)