[Randomized study on the use of propofol for anesthesia in intracranial tumors. Comparison with balanced anesthesia]

There is currently no anesthesiological technique which enables volume, cerebral blood flow and spinal fluid pressure to be kept constant. The aim of the present study was to compare two techniques of anesthesia in patients with cerebral tumours: one of a balanced type (AB) and the other of a continuous ev type (AEC) using propofol in order to assess which guaranteed the greatest cerebral protection. The results of the study have shown that the use of propofol may represent a useful alternative in intracranial tumour surgery since changes in systolic pressure and heart rate observed during AEC anesthesia were statistically lower in comparison to AB anesthesia. No statistically significant differences were observed in relation to changes in diastolic pressure, PVC, ApCO2 and the incidence of bleeding or cerebral edema. The quality of awakening was better in patients in the AEC group in terms of renewed breathing and spontaneous motility, verbal response and space-time orientation.