Magnetic motor evoked potentials during methohexital anesthesia in the dog

Magnetic motor evoked potentials (MMEPs) were recorded from the right cranial tibial muscle after magnetic stimulation of the left motor cortex in six dogs sedated with oxymorphone. Anesthesia was induced with an intravenous bolus of 5.5 mg/kg of methohexital and maintained with a methohexital infusion. The dogs inspired 100% oxygen during anesthesia. Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, esophageal temperature, and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension were recorded. The depth of anesthesia was increased until the amplitude of the MMEP was less than 5% of the control value, and the dogs were then allowed to recover. Every 5 minutes during anesthesia, a blood sample was taken for methohexital assay and at the same time, four replicate MMEPs were recorded. Plasma methohexital levels were significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with heart rate (p = 0.38) and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (p = 0.49) and negatively correlated with respiratory rate (p = 0.74). There was no significant correlation between blood pressure and methohexital levels. The dogs regained consciousness at a plasma methohexital level of 10.4 +/- 3.8 micrograms/ml (mean +/- SD). The amplitude of the MMEP decreased significantly with increasing methohexital levels. In four dogs, the relationship was reasonably linear. The MMEP disappeared at a plasma methohexital level of 23 +/- 6.6 micrograms/ml. The latency of onset of the MMEP increased significantly from its control value of 14.7 +/- 1.0 ms to 17.5 +/- 1.3 ms at the highest methohexital levels at which MMEPs were recordable. This study demonstrated that MMEPs can be reliably recorded under methohexital anesthesia.