A recent clinical trial in Japan has shown that using electroencephalogram readings of brain waves to monitor unconsciousness can significantly reduce the amount of anesthesia administered to children during surgery, leading to improved post-operative outcomes and reduced environmental impact.
A recent clinical trial conducted in Japan has shown that using electroencephalogram (EEG) readings of brain waves to monitor unconsciousness can significantly reduce the amount of anesthesia administered to children during surgery. This approach, guided by anesthesiologists, resulted in improved post-operative outcomes, including quicker recovery and reduced incidence of delirium.
Research has demonstrated that a person’s level of consciousness under any particular anesthetic drug is discernible from patterns of their brain waves. By measuring each child’s brain waves with EEG, anesthesiologists can use this information to guide dosing of sevoflurane gas, the most commonly used inhalational anesthetic. In the trial, children who received standard anesthesia dosing protocols had a concentration of 5 percent sevoflurane gas, while those in the experimental group were able to induce the desired level of unconsciousness with a significantly lower concentration of 2 percent.
The results of this study are significant not only for their medical implications but also for their environmental impact. Sevoflurane is a potent greenhouse gas, and reducing its use can help mitigate climate change. Furthermore, the quicker recovery among patients who received EEG-guided anesthesia resulted in reduced health-care costs. Time spent in post-acute care in the United States costs approximately $46 per minute, so the average reduction of 16.5 minutes would save about $750 per case.
The findings of this study validate the idea that monitoring brain waves during surgery can provide anesthesiologists with actionable guidance to improve patient care. Training in reading EEGs and guiding dosing can be readily integrated into continuing medical education practices, enhancing patient outcomes while reducing unnecessary anesthesia use.
EEG (Electroencephalogram) monitoring is a non-invasive medical procedure that records electrical activity in the brain.
It involves placing electrodes on the scalp to detect and measure brain waves, which can help diagnose neurological disorders such as epilepsy, seizures, or brain injuries.
EEG monitoring can be performed in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, or at home with portable devices.
The data collected is analyzed to identify patterns and abnormalities, providing valuable insights for medical professionals to develop effective treatment plans.
The study also presents comparisons of the EEG recordings from children in the control and experimental groups. Notable differences were observed in the ‘spectrograms‘ that charted the power of individual brain wave frequencies during surgery and upon emergence from anesthesia. These findings highlight the potential for EEG monitoring to provide valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying anesthesia-induced unconsciousness.
This groundbreaking study demonstrates the potential of EEG monitoring to improve patient care and reduce unnecessary anesthesia use in children undergoing surgery. By providing anesthesiologists with actionable guidance, this approach has the potential to enhance patient outcomes while promoting a more sustainable medical practice.
