Low concentrations of isoflurane abolish motor evoked responses to transcranial electrical stimulation during nitrous oxide/opioid anesthesia in humans.

To study the feasibility of noninvasive monitoring of motor pathways in anesthetized patients, we evaluated the effect of isoflurane on motor evoked responses to constant-voltage transcranial electrical stimulation (tce-MERs). Reproducible tce-MERs were recordable from the tibialis anterior muscle during nitrous oxide/opioid anesthesia in 11 patients. Before the introduction of isoflurane, tce-MER onset latency was 30.8 +/- 1.9 ms, and amplitude ranged from 19 microV to 2.6 mV (median, 209 microV). Operating conditions necessitated neuromuscular blockade in three patients before administration of isoflurane. In the remaining eight patients, introduction of isoflurane in low concentrations resulted in an immediate increase in the latency and a decrease in the amplitude of tce-MERs. The tce-MERs were completely obliterated in all subjects at end-tidal isoflurane concentrations between 0.2% and 0.6% (median, 0.24%). After discontinuation of isoflurane, the tce-MER returned in all patients. The authors conclude that, during nitrous oxide/opioid anesthesia, with the stimulus and recording variables used, isoflurane even at very low concentrations precludes recording of tce-MERs.     

Differential effects of nitrous oxide and propofol on myogenic transcranial motor evoked responses during sufentanil anaesthesia

We have compared the effects of 50% nitrous oxide and propofol, each administered concurrently with sufentanil, on the amplitudes and latencies of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) response to transcranial electrical stimulation. Using a crossover design, 12 patients undergoing spinal surgery were exposed to both 50% nitrous oxide and propofol, the latter in a bolus-infusion regimen. Six patients received nitrous oxide first and six received propofol first. CMAP were recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle in response to both single and paired transcranial electrical stimuli. With single pulse stimulation, median CMAP amplitude was significantly greater during administration of nitrous oxide than propofol (nitrous oxide 335 (10th-90th percentiles 35-849) microV; propofol 36 (0-251) microV) (P < 0.01). With paired stimulation, there was no significant difference in CMAP amplitude during the two regimens (nitrous oxide 1031 (296-1939) microV; propofol 655 (0-1867) microV). The results indicate that propofol caused more depression of transcranial electrical motor evoked responses than 50% nitrous oxide but that the difference was probably clinically unimportant when a paired stimulation paradigm was used.      

Amplitudes and intrapatient variability of myogenic motor evoked potentials to transcranial electrical stimulation during ketamine/N2O- and propofol/N2O-based anesthesia

The aim of the current study was to investigate whether there are differences in amplitudes and intrapatient variability of motor evoked potentials to five pulses of transcranial electrical stimulation between ketamine/N2O- and propofol/N2O-based anesthesia. Patients in the propofol group (n = 13) and the ketamine group (n = 13) were anesthetized with 50% N2O in oxygen, fentanyl, and 4 mg/kg/hr of propofol or 1 mg/kg/hr of ketamine, respectively. The level of neuromuscular blockade was maintained at an M-response amplitude of approximately 50% of control. Motor evoked potentials in response to multipulse transcranial electrical stimulation were recorded from the right adductor pollicis brevis muscle, and peak-to-peak amplitude and onset latency of motor evoked potentials were evaluated. To estimate intrapatient variability, the coefficient of variation (standard deviation/mean x 100%) of 24 consecutive responses was determined. Motor evoked potential amplitudes in the ketamine group were significantly larger than in the propofol group (mean, 10th-90th percentile: 380 microV, 129-953 microV; 135 microV, 38-658 microV, respectively; P <.05). There were no significant differences in motor evoked potential latency (mean +/- standard deviation: 20.9 +/- 2.2 msec and 21.4 +/- 2.2 msec, respectively) and coefficient of variation of amplitudes (median [range]: 32% [22-42%] and 26% [18-41%], respectively) and latencies (mean +/- standard deviation: 2.1 +/- 0.7% and 2.1 +/- 0.7%, respectively) between the ketamine and propofol groups. In conclusion, intrapatient variability of motor evoked potentials to multipulse transcranial stimulation is similar between ketamine/N2O- and propofol/N2O-based anesthesia, although motor evoked potential amplitudes are lower during propofol/N2O-based anesthesia than ketamine/N2O-based anesthesia.     

Noxious stimuli do not modify myogenic motor evoked potentials by electrical stimulation during anesthesia with propofol-based anesthesia

PURPOSE: To investigate whether motor evoked potentials (MEP) to transcranial electrical stimulation under constant blood propofol concentration are affected by the arousing effect of surgical noxious stimuli. METHODS: Twenty patients who underwent elective spinal surgery were studied. Patients were anesthetized with 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen, fentanyl, and propofol to maintain the bispectral index (BIS) score around 50. MEP in response to a multipulse transcranial electrical stimulation at stimulus sites of C3-C4 were recorded over the right abductor pollicis brevis muscle. Changes of peak-to-peak amplitude and onset latency of MEP, BIS score before and after surgical stimuli were evaluated. Propofol plasma concentration was measured at the same time points. RESULTS: Both MEP amplitude and latency did not change significantly after surgical stimuli although BIS increased significantly (48 +/- 6 to 58 +/- 5; P < 0.05). Plasma propofol concentration was maintained at the same level between the two measurement points (3.3 +/- 0.7 to 3.3 +/- 0.7 micro g*mL(-1)). There was no relation between BIS change and changes of MEP amplitude and latency, and propofol plasma concentration. CONCLUSION: MEP to the transcranial electrical stimulation under a constant and clinically appropriate blood propofol concentration are not affected by surgical noxious stimuli.     

Tetanic stimulation of the peripheral nerve before transcranial electrical stimulation can enlarge amplitudes of myogenic motor evoked potentials during general anesthesia with neuromuscular blockade

BACKGROUND: Neuromuscular blockade can suppress myogenic motor evoked potentials (MEPs). The authors hypothesized that tetanic stimulation (TS) of the peripheral nerve before transcranial stimulation may enhance myogenic MEPs during neuromuscular blockade. In the current study, the authors evaluated MEP augmentations by TS at different levels of duration, posttetanic interval, neuromuscular blockade, and stimulus intensity. METHODS: Thirty-two patients undergoing propofol-fentanyl-nitrous oxide anesthesia were examined. Train-of-five stimulation was delivered to C3-C4, and MEPs were recorded from the abductor hallucis muscle. In study 1, TS with a duration of 1, 3, or 5 s was delivered at 50 Hz to the tibial nerve 1, 3, or 5 s (interval) before transcranial stimulation, and the effects of TS on MEP amplitude were evaluated. In study 2, TS-induced MEP augmentations were evaluated at the neuromuscular blockade level (%T1) of 50% or 5%. In study 3, MEP augmentations by TS at stimulus intensities of 0, 5, 25, and 50 mA were evaluated. RESULTS: The application of TS significantly enlarged the amplitudes of MEPs at the combinations of duration (3, 5 s) and interval (1, 3, 5 s) compared with those without TS. TS-induced MEP augmentations were similarly observed at %T1 of both 50% and 5%. TS-induced MEP augmentations were observed at stimulus intensities of 25 and 50 mA. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that TS of the peripheral nerve before transcranial stimulation can enlarge the amplitude of MEPs during general anesthesia with neuromuscular blockade. TS of the peripheral nerve can be intraoperatively applied as a method to augment myogenic MEP responses.     

急性脊髓损伤时经颅磁刺激运动诱发电位监测的实验研究

目的 通过观察经颅磁刺激运动诱发电位(TMS-MEP)在急性脊髓损伤时的表现及其与功能预后的关系,探讨TMS—MEP于临床手术时在脊髓运动功能监测中的应用。方法 32只家兔被随机分成4组,对照组了解麻醉及手术对实验的影响,另3组动物为脊髓损伤组,观察脊髓损伤后动物TMS—MEP和运动功能的变化情况以及脊髓的病理学改变。结果 TMS—MEP在脊髓损伤后有不同程度的恶化但并未完全消失的动物,大部分动物的运动功能能基本恢复正常;脊髓损伤后TMS-MEP完全消失但其后1h内能有不同程度恢复的动物,其运动功能可以大部保存;对于TMS-MEP在脊髓损伤后完全消失而且后来一直未见有恢复迹象的动物,其运动功能的恢复大多较差。结论 TMS—MEP监测对脊髓的损伤非常敏感,伤时TMS-MEP的表现与其后运动功能的恢复有着很好的相关性,可以有效地应用于临床术中监测。     

The effects of volatile anesthetics on intraoperative monitoring of myogenic motor-evoked potentials to transcranial electrical stimulation and on partial neuromuscular blockade during propofol/fentanyl/nitrous oxide anesthesia in humans

The aim of the present study was to compare the influence of volatile anesthetics on transcranial motor-evoked potentials (tcMEP) in humans anesthetized with propofol/fentanyl/nitrous oxide and on partial neuromuscular blockade (NMB). The authors studied 35 ASA I and II patients who were undergoing elective craniotomy and brain tumor resection. The patients were randomized to one of three groups to receive halothane (HAL), isoflurane (ISO), or sevoflurane (SEV). Anesthetic depth was initially adjusted using the bispectral index to 40+/-5, and NMB was adjusted to 40%-50% of one twitch of train of four (T1) after recovery from intubation. MEPs with train of five square-wave pulses were elicited using screw electrodes placed in the skull over C3-C4. After craniotomy, the inhalational agent was introduced at 0.5 MAC and then 1.0 MAC (20 minutes each), and the effects on MEPs, NMB, and hemodynamic variables were studied. A decrease in BIS and systolic blood pressure was observed with all agents. Both SEV and ISO at 1.0 MAC significantly decreased train-of-four ratio from 38.4+/-18.1 at control to 19.0+/-9.7 and from 35.3+/-12.4 to 26.1+/-13.7, respectively (P<0.001), but not HAL at 1.0 MAC. The amplitudes of tcMEPs were significantly reduced by all agents at 1.0 MAC, with the effect being less in HAL at 0.5 MAC. We have shown that HAL had a lesser suppressive effect on MEPs than either ISO or SEV at 0.5 MAC, which was partially due to a lesser degree of NMB.     

Intraoperative monitoring of tibialis anterior muscle motor evoked responses to transcranial electrical stimulation during partial neuromuscular blockade.

We studied the feasibility of recording motor evoked responses to transcranial electrical stimulation (tce-MERs) during partial neuromuscular blockade (NMB). In 11 patients, compound muscle action potentials were recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle in response to transcranial electrical stimulation during various levels of vecuronium-induced NMB. The level of NMB was assessed by accelerometry of the adductor pollicis muscle after train-of-four stimulation of the ulnar nerve. The compound muscle action potential was also recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle after direct stimulation of the peroneal nerve (M-response) as an alternative means of assessing the degree of NMB. In all patients, tce-MERs could be recorded reliably during anesthesia with N2O and a continuous infusion of sufentanil (0.5 micrograms.kg-1.h-1). An intact train-of-four was present in all patients, and the amplitude of the first twitch was recorded and designated as the control value. Before administration of vecuronium, the M-response amplitude was 9.6 +/- 3.6 (mean +/- SD) mV, and the tce-MER amplitude was 1.21 +/- 0.66 mV. Although administration of vecuronium (0.05 mg/kg) resulted in loss of the mechanical adductor pollicis response in 8 of the 11 patients, the M-response and the tce-MER remained recordable. Subsequently, during an infusion of vecuronium, adjusted to maintain one or two mechanical responses to train-of-four stimulation, the average M-response to peroneal nerve stimulation was 5.2 +/- 2.5 mV (53% of the control value), and tce-MER amplitude was 0.59 +/- 0.36 mV (59% of the control value).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

脊柱手术中经颅电刺激运动诱发电位监护的应用探讨

目的探讨脊柱手术中经颅电刺激运动诱发电位（transcranial electrical stimulation motor evoked potential,TES-MEP）监护的可行性和应用价值。方法2006年7月至2008年10月,在241例胸椎手术中对双侧胫前肌、足踇短屈肌、大鱼际肌或小鱼际肌（颈椎病变时）实施TES-MEP监护。术中全静脉麻醉58例,静脉麻醉＋七氟烷吸入麻醉（浓度〈1％）67例,静脉麻醉＋小剂量肌松剂116例。结果TES-MEP的检出率为89．2％,虽然3种麻醉方式的检出率无显著性差异,但各年龄组、不同靶肌肌力的检出率有显著性差异。术中TES-MEP阳性26例,其中不明原因的假阳性6例,真阳性20例,且均与手术操作有直接相关性。TES-MEP对脊髓运动功能监护的灵敏度为100％,特异度为97．9％,约登指数为0．979;对脊髓感觉功能监护的灵敏度为74．1％,特异度为97．9％,约登指数为0．72。结论异丙芬静脉麻醉＋七氟烷吸入麻醉（浓度〈1％）为首选方案,异丙芬静脉麻醉＋小剂量肌松剂为次选方案。TES-MEP不但能瞬间、直接、准确地监护脊髓的运动传导功能,而且能间接反映脊髓的感觉传导功能,是安全监护脊柱手术的新方法。     

Median nerve evoked responses and explicit memory during recovery from isoflurane/nitrous oxide anesthesia

PURPOSE: To evaluate median nerve somatosensory evoked responses during recovery from anesthesia in relation to clinical findings. METHODS: Twenty-two gynecologic patients received isoflurane in nitrous oxide for anesthesia. Midlatency somatosensory evoked responses (N20, P25, N35, P45, N50) were recorded the day before surgery (AWAKE), during steady state anesthesia (STABLE), and every five minutes after discontinuation of anesthesia until the patients were able to name a shown object correctly (RECOVERY). Next day the patients were questioned with a structured interview about their explicit memory of the immediate recovery period and classified into groups: No-MEM (no memory) and MEM (memory). Multivariate analysis of variance compared electrophysiological parameters at the different time points and between the two memory groups. RESULTS: During STABLE isoflurane/N2O anesthesia, all cortical amplitudes were reduced (P< or =0.003) and all latencies were prolonged compared with AWAKE (P<0.001). At RECOVERY the latencies N35, P45, N50 remained prolonged (P< or =0.001), while the amplitudes N20P25 and P45N50 were reduced in comparison to AWAKE (P< or =0.02). The latencies P45 (48+/-8 vs. 61+/-9 msec) and N50 (67+/-12 vs. 81+/-10 msec) were shorter in the patients of the group MEM (P< or =0.03) at RECOVERY. CONCLUSION: The reversibility of anesthetic induced changes in amplitudes and latencies of median nerve somatosensory evoked responses reflected clinical awakening during emergence from isoflurane/nitrous oxide anesthesia. In the patients who had recall for the immediate recovery period, the reversibility of anesthetic induced changes of components P45 and N50 was faster than in patients without recall.     

The influence of nitrous oxide to supplement fentanyl/low-dose propofol anesthesia on transcranial myogenic motor-evoked potentials during thoracic aortic surgery

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative monitoring of myogenic motor evoked potentials to transcranial electrical stimulation (tc MEPs) is a new method to assess the integrity of the motor pathways. The authors studied the effects of 50% nitrous oxide (N2O) and a low-dose propofol infusion on tc MEPs paired electrical stimulation during fentanyl anesthesia with partial neuromuscular blockade. DESIGN: Cross-over study. SETTING: St Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Ten patients scheduled to undergo surgery on the thoracoabdominal aorta were studied; 6 women aged 54 to 69 years and 4 men aged 68 to 77 years. INTERVENTIONS: After achieving a stable anesthetic state and before surgery, tc MEPs were recorded during four 15-minute periods: (I) air/oxygen (O2; F(I)O2 = 50%); propofol target blood concentration, 0.5 microg/mL; (II) N2O/O2 (F(I)O2 = 50%); propofol target blood concentration, 0.5 microg/mL; (III) N2O/O2 (F(I)O2 = 50%; propofol target blood concentration, 1.0 microg/mL; and (IV) air/O2 (F(I)O2 = 50%); propofol target blood concentration, 1.0 microg/mL. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Tc MEPs were recorded from the right extensor digitorum communis muscle and the right tibialis anterior muscle. The right thenar muscle was used for recording the level of relaxation; the T1 response was maintained at 40% to 70% of the control compound muscle action potential. There was no significant difference in onset latency among the four phases. The addition of N2O and doubling the target propofol infusion to 1.0 microg/mL resulted in a 40% to 50% reduction of tc MEP amplitude recorded in the extensor digitorum communis muscle and tibialis anterior muscle (p < 0.01). During each phase, tc MEPs could be elicited and interpreted, except in one patient, in whom no tc MEPs could be elicited in the leg because of technical problems. CONCLUSION: The data indicate that tc MEP monitoring is feasible during low-dose propofol, fentanyl/50% N2O in 02 anesthesia and partial neuromuscular blockade.     

Effect of nitrous oxide on myogenic motor potentials evoked by a six pulse train of transcranial electrical stimuli: a possible monitor for aortic surgery

Intraoperative recording of myogenic motor potentials evoked by transcranial electrical stimulation (tcMEP) is a method of monitoring the integrity of the vulnerable motor pathways during thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) surgery. Deflation of the left lung during TAAA surgery may result in impairment of arterial oxygenation. Ventilation with nitrous oxide may cause further desaturation. We studied the effects of 20%, 40% and 60% nitrous oxide in oxygen on within-patient variability and magnitude of tcMEP in response to six pulse transcranial electrical stimulation during fentanyl-low-dose propofol anaesthesia with partial neuromuscular block. Ten patients (two females; aged 63-74 yr) were studied. After achieving a stable anaesthetic state and before surgery, 10 tcMEP were recorded from the right tibialis anterior muscle during addition of 20%, 40% and 60% nitrous oxide in oxygen in random order. When ventilation with 40% or 60% nitrous oxide in oxygen was performed, there was 50-70% depression of tcMEP amplitude (P < 0.05) and 40-60% reduction in tcMEP area under the curve (P < 0.05) compared with 20% nitrous oxide in oxygen. There was no significant difference in the coefficients of variation for tcMEP between the three nitrous oxide anaesthetic regimens. Our results suggest that increasing doses of nitrous oxide reduce the MEP waveform to six pulse transcranial electrical stimulation, but even with 60% nitrous oxide in oxygen, the tcMEP were recordable and as reproducible as with 20% and 40% nitrous oxide regimens. The method is sufficiently robust for use in aortic surgery.      

Effect of nitrous oxide on myogenic motor evoked potentials during hypothermia in rabbits anaesthetized with ketamine/fentanyl/propofol

Background. A number of authors have reported that anaestheticssuppress myogenic motor evoked potentials (MEPs). However, theinfluence of hypothermia on these effects is unknown. Thereforewe investigated the effects of hypothermia on nitrous oxide-inducedsuppression of myogenic MEPs. Methods. Twenty-two rabbits anaesthetized with ketamine, fentanyland propofol were randomly allocated to one of three groups,with oesophageal temperatures of 40°C (n=8), 35°C (n=7)and 30°C (n=7). Myogenic MEPs in response to electricalstimulation of the motor cortex with a train of five pulseswere recorded from the soleus muscle. Following the controlrecording, nitrous oxide was administered at concentrationsof 30%, 50%, and 70% in random order, and MEPs were recorded.Control MEP amplitudes and percentage of control MEP amplitudes(%MEP amplitude) during the administration of nitrous oxidewere compared between the three groups. Results. Control MEP amplitudes were similar between the threegroups. Nitrous oxide suppressed MEPs in a dose-dependent mannerin all groups. During the administration of nitrous oxide, %MEP amplitudes at 35°C and 30°C (hypothermia) were significantlylower than those at 40°C (normothermia). Conclusion. These results suggest that nitrous oxide-inducedsuppression of MEPs may be augmented during hypothermia. Br J Anaesth 2002; 88: 836–40     

Effects of propofol, etomidate, midazolam, and fentanyl on motor evoked responses to transcranial electrical or magnetic stimulation in humans.

The effects of propofol, etomidate, midazolam, and fentanyl on motor evoked responses to transcranial stimulation (tc-MERs) were studied in five healthy human volunteers. Each subject, in four separate sessions, received intravenous bolus doses of propofol 2 mg.kg-1, etomidate 0.3 mg.kg-1, midazolam 0.05 mg.kg-1, and fentanyl 3 micrograms.kg-1. Electrical tc-MERs (tce-MERs) were elicited with anodal stimuli of 500-700 V. Magnetic tc-MERs (tcmag-MERs) were elicited using a Cadwell MES-10 magnetic stimulator at maximum output. Compound muscle action potentials were recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle. Duplicate tce-MERs and tcmag-MERs were recorded before and up to 30 min after drug injection. Reproducible baseline tce-MERs (amplitude 4.7 +/- 0.43 (SEM) mV, latency 29.4 +/- 0.35 ms) and tcmag-MERs (amplitude 3.7 +/- 0.43 mV, latency 31.1 +/- 0.39 ms) were obtained in all subjects. Pronounced depression of tce-MER amplitude to 2% of baseline values (P less than 0.01) was observed 2 min after injection of propofol. Thirty minutes after injection of propofol, amplitude depression to 44% of baseline (P less than 0.05) was still present, despite an apparent lack of sedation. Midazolam caused significant (P less than 0.01) amplitude depression, e.g., tcmag-MER to 16% of baseline values 5 min after injection. Significant depression persisted throughout the 30-min study period. Fentanyl did not cause any statistically significant amplitude changes in this small population. Etomidate caused significant but transient depression of tc-MER amplitude. However, there was considerable intersubject variability. Latency did not change significantly after any drug.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

不同麻醉深度下中枢神经系统的功能状态(数量化脑电图和麻醉深度的关系)

目的：探讨数量化脑电图与七氟醚麻醉深度的关系。方法：６２例腹部手术病人，常规麻醉诱导、气管内插管。机械通气，潘库溴铵或阿曲库铵维持肌松。手术探查毕，调整每个病人的七氟醚呼气末浓度依次达２％→１．５％→１％，每种浓度维持至少１５分钟，记录３分钟数量化ＥＥＧ及ＭＡＰ、ＨＲ变化。结果：随七氟醚呼气末浓度降低，原始脑电波逐渐由低频高振幅波转变为高频低振幅波；ＳＥＦ和ＭＦ趋势曲线明显右移；ＳＥＦ、ＭＦ、ＢＩＳ、δＲ明显差异（Ｐ＜０．０１）。血流动力学的变化仅在七氟醚呼气末浓度１％与２％时有明显差异（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论：数量化脑电图能监测不同七氟醚麻醉深度时大脑皮层电活动变化，而ＭＡＰ和ＨＲ只能区别极深和极浅的麻醉状态。     

Hemodynamic responses to nitrous oxide during inhalation anesthesia in pediatric patients

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To measure the hemodynamic changes produced by nitrous oxide (N2O) during halothane and isoflurane anesthesia in infants and children. DESIGN: A repeated measures design in two groups of infants and small children. SETTING: Operating rooms at a university hospital. PATIENTS: Nineteen healthy unmedicated infants and small children (mean age 12 months) who required elective surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Prior to anesthesia induction, cardiovascular measurements were recorded using pulsed Doppler and two-dimensional echocardiography. Following anesthesia induction with halothane (n = 10) or isoflurane (n = 9) in oxygen (O2) and air, anesthetic measures were stabilized at 1.0 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) and cardiovascular measures were repeated. After 30% N2O was added to the 1.0 MAC anesthetic concentration, a third set of cardiovascular measurements was recorded. A final cardiovascular data set was measured 5 minutes following an increase in N2O concentration to 60%. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac index (CI), stroke volume (SV), and ejection fraction (EF) decreased similarly and significantly at 1.0 MAC halothane and isoflurane. Heart rate (HR) increased during isoflurane anesthesia but decreased during halothane anesthesia. The addition of N2O resulted in a decrease in HR, CI, and MAP when compared to 1.0 MAC levels of halothane or isoflurane; however, SV and EF were not significantly changed from levels measured during 1.0 MAC halothane or isoflurane. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of N2O to halothane and isoflurane anesthesia in infants and children decreased HR. This decrease led to a decrease in cardiac output (CO). Unlike with adults, N2O did not produce cardiovascular signs of sympathetic stimulation in infants and children.     

A comparison of bispectral index and rapidly extracted auditory evoked potentials index responses to noxious stimulation during sevoflurane anesthesia

In 21 patients given sevoflurane anesthesia, we simultaneously compared the abilities of Bispectral Index (BIS) and rapidly extracted auditory evoked potentials index (AAI) to display the effect of an increasing cerebral concentration of sevoflurane, with and without noxious stimulation. In addition to BIS/AAI, hemodynamic variables were monitored. After titrating sevoflurane to BIS = 50-55 during 15 min, the end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane (1.46% +/- 0.20%) was doubled followed by a noxious stimulus, laryngoscopy, applied at random time points within the following 15 min. After the end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane was doubled, a substantial reduction in BIS was observed, whereas only a slight reduction in AAI was seen (P < 0.0001). BIS/AAI responses to laryngoscopy were not attenuated with increasing wash-in of sevoflurane. After noxious stimulation, AAI exceeded the highest recommended value, 25, in 3 cases, whereas BIS did not exceed the recommended threshold, 60, in any of the patients. Response times for BIS and AAI were 44.5 +/- 26 and 47 +/- 31 s, respectively. These results suggest that, at a hypnotic level associated with surgical sevoflurane anesthesia, BIS better displays drug-related alterations in the level of hypnosis than AAI or hemodynamic variables but there is no difference between BIS and AAI in the time to response to a noxious stimulus.     

Middle latency auditory evoked responses and electroencephalographic derived variables do not predict movement to noxious stimulation during 1 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration isoflurane/nitrous oxide anesthesia.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) and middle latency auditory evoked responses (MLAER) have been proposed for assessment of the depth of anesthesia. However, a reliable monitor of the adequacy of anesthesia has not yet been defined. In a multicenter study, we tested whether changes in the EEG and MLAER after a tetanic stimulus applied to the wrist could be used to predict subsequent movement in response to skin incision in patients anesthetized with 1 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration (MAC) isoflurane in N2O. We also investigated whether the absolute values of any of these variables before skin incision was able to predict subsequent movement. After the induction of anesthesia with propofol and facilitation of tracheal intubation with succinylcholine, 82 patients received 1 MAC isoflurane (0.6%) in N2O 50% without an opioid or muscle relaxant. Spontaneous EEG and MLAER to auditory click-stimulation were recorded from a single frontoparietal electrode pair. MLAER were severely depressed at 1 MAC isoflurane. At least 20 min before skin incision, a 5-s tetanic stimulus was applied at the wrist, and the changes in EEG and MLAER were recorded. EEG and MLAER values were evaluated before and after skin incision for patients who did not move in response to tetanic stimulation. Twenty patients (24%) moved after tetanic stimulation. The changes in the EEG or MLAER variables were unable to predict which patients would move in response to skin incision. Preincision values were not different between patients who did and did not move in response to skin incision for any of the variables. MLAER amplitude increased after skin incision. We conclude that it is unlikely that linear EEG measures or MLAER variables can be of practical use in titrating isoflurane anesthesia to prevent movement in response to noxious stimulation. IMPLICATIONS: Reliable estimation of anesthetic adequacy remains a challenge. Changes in spontaneous or auditory evoked brain activity after a brief electrical stimulus at the wrist could not be used to predict whether anesthetized patients would subsequently move at the time of surgical incision.