Effects of anesthetic management on early postoperative recovery, hemodynamics and pain after supratentorial craniotomy

Abstract Various clinical trials have assessed how intraoperative anesthetics can affect early recovery, hemodynamics and nociception after su pratentorial craniotomy. Whether or not the difference in recovery pattern differs in a meaningful way with anesthetic choice is con troversial. This review examines and compares different anesthetics with respect to wake-up time, hemodynamics, respiration, cognitive recovery, pain, nausea and vomiting, and shivering. When compar ing inhalational anesthetics to intravenous anesthetics, either regimen produces similar recovery results. Newer shorter acting agents accel erate the process of emergence and extubation. A balanced inhalation al/intravenous anesthetic could be desirable for patients with normal intracranial pressure, while total intravenous anesthesia could be ben eficial for patients with elevated intracranial pressure. Comparison of inhalational anesthetics shows all appropriate for rapid emergence, decreasing time to extubation, and cognitive recovery. Comparison of opioids demonstrates similar awakening and extubation time if the infusion of longer acting opioids was ended at the appropriate time. Administration of local anesthetics into the skin, and addition of cor ticosteroids, NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors, and PCA therapy postopera tively provided superior analgesia. It is also important to emphasize the possibility of long-term effects of anesthetics on cognitive func tion. More research is warranted to develop best practices strategies for the future that are evidence-based