Low-dose sufentanil increases cerebrospinal fluid pressure in human volunteers

Although sufentanil is frequently used in neuroanesthesia, the effect of the drug on intracranial pressure is still controversial. In our study, we used an invasive measurement technique to study the effects of 0.1 micrograms/kg-1 sufentanil on mean lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), central venous pressure (CVP), heart rate (HR), and end-tidal dioxide (ETCO2) in five human volunteers. After i.v. injection of sufentanil, mean lumbar CSFP increased from 6 mm Hg to 12 mm Hg (p < 0.05), and mean CPP decreased from 92 mm Hg to 78 mm Hg (p < 0.05), whereas MAP, CVP, HR, and ETCO2 remained stable. The results of this study clearly show that even a low dose of sufentanil transiently increases lumbar CSFP in volunteers with uncompromised intracranial compliance.