Esmolol blunts postoperative hemodynamic changes after propofol-remifentanil total intravenous fast-track neuroanesthesia for intracranial surgery.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether esmolol is effective in attenuating postoperative hemodynamic changes related to sympathetic overdrive.

DESIGN

Clinical study.

SETTING

Operating room of a university hospital.

PATIENTS

60 ASA physical status I, II, and III patients, age 18 to 65 years, scheduled for elective craniotomy for supratentorial neurosurgery.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were given total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) during emergence from anesthesia and up to 60 minutes after extubation. Those patients who had hypertension (defined as an increase in systolic blood pressure >20% from baseline values) and tachycardia (defined as an increase >20% in heart rate from baseline) received a loading dose of 500 microg/kg esmolol in one minute, followed by an infusion titrated stepwise (50, 100, 200, and 300 microg/kg per min) every two minutes.

MEASUREMENTS

The mean dose and duration of esmolol therapy were measured.

MAIN RESULTS

Of 60 patients, 49 (82%) who received propofol-remifentanil TIVA developed significant tachycardia and hypertension soon after extubation. Treatment with esmolol (500 microg/kg in bolus maintained at a mean rate of 200 +/- 50 microg/kg per min) effectively controlled hypertension and tachycardia in 45 of 49 patients (92%; P < 0.05) within a mean 4.30 +/- 2.20 minutes. After extubation, mean esmolol infusion time was 29 +/- 8 minutes.

CONCLUSION

In patients undergoing elective neurosurgery with propofol-remifentanil TIVA, a relatively small esmolol dose and short infusion time effectively blunts early postoperative arterial hypertension and tachycardia.