Dynamic Pupillary Responses in Patients with Deep Sedation from Titrating Doses of Continuous Anesthetics (.pdf)

Deep anesthetic sedation is the hallmark treatment of refractory status epilepticus (RSE). Use of short half-life anesthetics promotes recovery of consciousness following discontinuation. However, some patients have an unpredictable delay in recovery, adversely affecting their prognosis. Serial neurological examinations are the key measure of recovery with pupillary light reflex (PLR) as a fundamental component of the neurological examination. Automated pupillometry in intensive care units is replacing manual pupil assessment with accurate and objective assessment, which can be monitored over time. Dynamic changes in PLR can be correlated with neurological recovery in a comatose patient.