British journal of anaesthesia
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Comparative Study
The auditory steady state response during sufentanil anaesthesia.
The auditory steady state response (ASSR) is a sinusoidal evoked potential elicited by rapidly repeated auditory stimuli. The ASSR was recorded in eight patients during high-dose sufentanil anaesthesia for cardiac surgery in order to assess its usefulness as a measure of the level of consciousness. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded for comparison. ⋯ The amplitude increased with early signs of awakening in the Intensive Care Unit. With few exceptions, changes in the simultaneously recorded EEG were similar to those of the ASSR. The ASSR deserves further evaluation as a tool for monitoring level of consciousness during high-dose opioid anaesthesia.
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The haemodynamic effects of total i.v. anaesthesia with a combination of propofol and alfentanil infusions were studied in eight patients with good left ventricular function undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Haemodynamic indices were measured before anaesthesia and at specified intervals before cardiopulmonary bypass. The technique resulted in haemodynamic changes comparable to those reported with opioid-based anaesthesia for coronary artery surgery, and has potential advantages.