Bispectral Index

Excerpt

Monitoring the depth of anesthesia is very important during any procedure. Anesthesia that's too deep can cause hemodynamic changes, and anesthesia that is too light carries the risk of recall or awareness during anesthesia. Awareness during anesthesia is a very serious complication with potential long-term psychological sequelae such as anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder. When the bispectral index (BIS) value is maintained below 60, it decreases the incidence of anesthesia awareness. Several neuro monitors based on the processed electroencephalogram or evoked potentials have been developed to evaluate the anesthetic depth. The BIS monitor is the first FDA-approved method to assess the hypnotic effects of drugs.