The Bispectral Index in children: Comparing isoflurane and halothane

Abstract

Background. The Bispectral Index (BIS) has been calibrated for several general anaesthetic agents including isoflurane. Halothane is still used in paediatric anaesthesia. Compared with other volatile anaesthetics, halothane has a different receptor affinity and differing effects on the EEG. There are limited data evaluating the BIS with halothane. We set out to compare the BIS using halothane and isoflurane at a clinically relevant equipotent concentration (I MAC) and at a reproducible measure of anaesthetic effect (awakening). Methods. Forty children aged between 2 and 15 yr were enrolled in a masked randomized trial - 20 in each group. Anaesthesia was induced with sevoflurane or propofol. ..