Direct cerebral vasodilatory effects of sevoflurane and isoflurane

The effect of volatile anesthetics on cerebral blood flow depends on the balance between the indirect vasoconstrictive action secondary to flow-metabolism coupling and the agent's intrinsic vasodilatory action. This study compared the direct cerebral vasodilatory actions of 0.5 and 1.5 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) sevoflurane and isoflurane during an propofol-induced isoelectric electroencephalogram.

Twenty patients aged 20-62 yr with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II requiring general anesthesia for routine spinal surgery were recruited. In addition to routine monitoring, a transcranial Doppler ultrasound was used to measure blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery, and an electroencephalograph to measure brain electrical activity. Anesthesia was induced with propofol 2.5 mg/kg, fentanyl 2 micro/g/kg, and atracurium 0.5 mg/kg, and a propofol infusion was used to achieve electroencephalographic isoelectricity. End-tidal carbon dioxide, blood pressure, and temperature were maintained constant throughout the study period. Cerebral blood flow velocity, mean blood pressure, and heart rate were recorded after 20 min of isoelectric encephalogram. Patients were then assigned to receive either age-adjusted 0.5 MAC (0.8-1%) or 1.5 MAC (2.4-3%) end-tidal sevoflurane; or age-adjusted 0.5 MAC (0.5-0.7%) or 1.5 MAC (1.5-2%) end-tidal isoflurane. After 15 min of unchanged end-tidal concentration, the variables were measured again. The concentration of the inhalational agent was increased or decreased as appropriate, and all measurements were repeated again. All measurements were performed before the start of surgery. An infusion of 0.01% phenylephrine was used as necessary to maintain mean arterial pressure at baseline levels.

Although both agents increased blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery at 0.5 and 1.5 MAC, this increase was significantly less during sevoflurane anesthesia (4+/-3 and 17+/-3% at 0.5 and 1.5 MAC sevoflurane; 19+/-3 and 72+/-9% at 0.5 and 1.5 MAC isoflurane [mean +/- SD]; P<0.05). All patients required phenylephrine (100-300 microg) to maintain mean arterial pressure within 20% of baseline during 1.5 MAC anesthesia.

In common with other volatile anesthetic agents, sevoflurane has an intrinsic dose-dependent cerebral vasodilatory effect. However, this effect is less than that of isoflurane.