• C Molnár, G Settakis, P Sárkány, S Kálmán, S Szabó, and B Fülesdi.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Health and Medical Science Centre, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98, H-4012 Debrecen, Hungary.
• Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2007 Feb 1;24(2):179-84.

Background And ObjectiveIt is widely accepted that sevoflurane affects cerebral circulation, but there are uncertainities regarding the magnitude of its effect. The aim of the present work was to assess the effect of sevoflurane on the cerebral circulation at surgical levels of anaesthesia.MethodsTwenty patients undergoing elective lumbar discectomies were investigated. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane. The level of surgical anaesthesia was determined by bispectral index, the target level was 45-55. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) measurement was performed before induction and after reaching the surgical level of anaesthesia. Besides routine parameters (middle cerebral artery mean blood flow velocity (MCAV) and pulsatility index (PI)) derived parameters (estimated cerebral perfusion pressure (eCPP), cerebral blood flow index (CBFI) and resistance area product (RAP)) were calculated by taking changes of mean arterial pressure also into account.ResultsMCAV decreased from 54.1 +/- 13.3 to 43.7 +/- 18.5 cm s-1, P < 0.01 and PI increased from 0.79 +/- 0.2 to 0.92 +/- 0.2, P < 0.01 after reaching the surgical level of anaesthesia. As a result eCPP decreased by 18.2%, CBFI by 25.5% and RAP increased by 15% respectively.ConclusionsOur data indicate a vasodilatory effect of sevoflurane at surgical level of anaesthesia on large cerebral vessels or a vasoconstriction of the resistance arterioles likely caused by decreased brain metabolism.

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