Total intravenous anesthesia: advantages for intracranial surgery

Although volatile anesthetics have been widely accepted in anesthetic management for neurosurgery, they reduce vascular resistance, resulting in increased cerebral blood flow and increased intracranial pressure (ICP). In patients with elevated ICP who undergo craniotomy, the increase in ICP during surgery from inhaled anesthetics can make the surgery more difficult, thereby increasing the risk of ischemic cerebral insults. Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) using propofol and analgesic drugs (remifentanil or fentanyl) and excluding simultaneous administration of any inhaled drugs is being used in patients undergoing craniotomy because of its potential to reduce ICP and ease access to the operative site.