• Andreas Lehmann, Joachim Boldt, Christine Zeitler, Elfi Thaler, and Christiane Werling.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen, Germany; Department of Cardiac Surgery, Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen, Germany.
• J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. 1999 Feb 1; 13 (1): 151915-19.

ObjectiveTo determine the cardiocirculatory effects of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) using remifentanil and propofol in high-risk cardiac surgical patients.DesignProspective study of 20 patients undergoing first-time implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).SettingMajor, community, university-affiliated hospital.Participants And InterventionsIn 20 patients with severely reduced left ventricular function (left ventricular ejection fraction <30%) undergoing first-time implantation of an ICD, TIVA using remifentanil and propofol was performed.Measurements And Main ResultsExtensive hemodynamic monitoring using a pulmonary artery catheter was performed: (T1) before induction of anesthesia, (T2) after intubation, (T3) after skin incision, (T4) after first defibrillation, and (T5) 10 minutes after extubation. Propofol, 3.0 +/- 0.6 mg/kg/h (range, 1.9 to 4.4 mg/kg/h), and remifentanil, 0.30 +/- 0.05 microg/kg/min (range, 0.21 to 0.40 microg/kg/min), were used. Total costs added up to US $44.60 per patient. Patients could be extubated within 12.5 +/- 4.2 minutes after stopping anesthesia. There were significant decreases in heart rate (HR; from 77 +/- 12 to 57 +/- 10 beats/min [T3]), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP; from 98 +/- 14 to 70 +/- 12 mmHg [T2]), and systemic vascular resistance (from 1,551 +/- 309 to 1,233 +/- 274 dyne x s x cm(-5) [T2]). Cardiac index (CI) slightly decreased only at T3 (from 2.46 +/- 0.42 to 1.92 +/- 0.29 L/min/m2; p = 0.04). The decrease in MAP could easily be treated by volume infusion in most patients (17 patients). Sixty-five percent of the patients needed dobutamine to increase CI to greater than 2.0 L/min/m2 (mean dose, 2.2 +/- 1.8 microg/kg/min). Dobutamine could be stopped before extubation in all patients. No patient needed sustained inotropic or ventilatory support and intensive care therapy could be avoided.ConclusionTIVA using remifentanil and propofol in patients with severely reduced left ventricular function is safe, well-controllable, and allows early extubation after implantation of an ICD. Because patients without complications did not need a postoperative intensive care stay, costs may be considerably reduced.

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