Auditing Inhalational Anesthetics and Anesthetic Depth
Author Information
Author(s): Muacevic Alexander, Adler John R, Dexter Franklin, Epstein Richard H, Marian Anil A
Primary Institution: University of Iowa
Hypothesis
A substantive percentage of cases (>10%) have long (≥15 minutes) periods having the combination of MAC fraction >1.0 and BIS <35.
Conclusion
The study recommends auditing the volatile agent concentration and the corresponding anesthetic depth index during general anesthesia.
Supporting Evidence
- 29.5% of cases had prolonged extubation.
- 25% of cases with BIS <35 and MAC fraction >1.0 had ≥15 minutes of very low BIS.
- The incidence of very low BIS and high MAC fraction significantly exceeded 10%.
Takeaway
The study found that many patients were given too much anesthesia without any benefit, suggesting doctors should check their anesthesia levels more carefully.
Methodology
Retrospective database cohort study analyzing 8,566 cases with BIS monitoring.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the retrospective nature of the study and reliance on electronic health records.
Limitations
The study was limited to a single department and may not generalize to other settings.
Participant Demographics
Patients included were primarily adults, with 3.1% aged <18 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 24% to 26%
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website