Changes in brain bioelectrical activity during xenon anesthesia in neurosurgical patients

: Xenon is a promising anesthetic agent in neurosurgery. However, there is now little evidence on the effect of xenon at anesthetic concentrations on brain electrical activity, which limits its use in neurosurgical patients. Changes in brain bioelectrical activity were studied in patients with skull base tumors before surgery (conscious ones) and at different stages of xenon anesthesia (after denitrogenization, at 50% xenon concentration in the circuit, at 65% xenon concentration in the circuit, during steady-state xenon anesthesia, and after hyperventilation). EEG during xenon anesthesia was similar to that during propofol anesthesia; a circuit xenon concentration (50 or 65%) and a ventilation mode had no considerable impact on EEG. Xenon did not induce paroxysmal activity. The findings suggest that the use of xenon anesthesia in neurosurgical patients is safe in terms of its impact on brain bioelectrical activity.