Narcotrend-assisted propofol/remifentanil anaesthesia vs clinical practice: does it make a difference?

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Neuroscience
• Medical Devices

Background:

• The Narcotrend is a computer-based electroencephalogram (EEG) monitor for assessing anesthetic depth.
• Intraoperative anesthetic depth management is critical for patient safety and recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if Narcotrend monitoring influences intraoperative anesthetic depth compared to standard clinical practice.
• To test the hypothesis that guided decision-making impacts anesthetic depth levels.

Main Methods:

• Forty-eight patients undergoing elective surgery were randomized into two groups: Narcotrend-controlled anesthesia or standard care.
• Anesthesia depth was targeted using Narcotrend levels (D2-E0) in the intervention group.
• EEG data, drug concentrations, and recovery metrics were analyzed using statistical methods.

Main Results:

• The Narcotrend monitor demonstrated significantly lower data variance in the EEG-guided group, indicating more stable anesthetic depth.
• No significant differences were observed in anesthetic drug dosage, plasma concentrations, or extubation times.
• Patients in the Narcotrend-guided group reported significantly lower nausea scores post-extubation.

Conclusions:

• Narcotrend monitoring provides a more consistent depth of anesthesia compared to clinical assessment alone.
• Utilizing the Narcotrend monitor can lead to improved patient comfort by reducing immediate postoperative nausea.