Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Mar 1989
Sufentanil, alfentanil, and fentanyl: impact on cerebrospinal fluid pressure in patients with brain tumors.
In order to evaluate the safety of the new synthetic opioids, alfentanil and sufentanil, in neurosurgical patients, we administered sufentanil 1 microg/kg i.v., alfentanil 50 microg/kg i.v. followed by an infusion of 1 microg/kg/min, or fentanyl 5 microg/kg i.v. to 30 patients with supratentorial tumors anesthetized with nitrous oxide (N2O), 60% in O2. Lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) responses were recorded for 10 min thereafter, while ventilation was held constant [mean PaCO2 = 36.1 +/- 1.0 mm Hg (SEM)]. There was no change in CSFP after fentanyl. ⋯ It is concluded that because sufentanil increased CSFP in patients who have brain tumors, it also may be contraindicated in other neurosurgical patients at risk for intracranial hypertension. Alfentanil may share this propensity, since CSFP increased despite a profound reduction in MAP. Among the three opioids evaluated, only fentanyl appears to be appropriate for supplementing N2O-2 anesthesia in patients who have compromised intracranial compliance.