Desflurane affords greater protection than halothane against focal cerebral ischaemia in the rat.
BACKGROUND
We studied the potential neuroprotective effects of halothane and desflurane, compared with the awake state, on infarct size following 2 h of intraluminal middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and 22 h of reperfusion.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anaesthetized with desflurane or halothane, intubated, and mechanically ventilated. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), blood gases, and pH were controlled. Body temperature was maintained at 37.5-38 degrees C. Animals were assigned to one of four groups according to the anaesthetic type (halothane or desflurane) and the duration of anaesthesia: "short-duration", during the preparation only; "long-duration", during both preparation and ischaemia. Twenty-four hours after MCAo, infarcts were visualized by staining with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride. Two additional groups of rats were subjected to the same protocol as that of long-duration halothane and long-duration desflurane with additional pericranial temperature measurements made.


RESULTS
Physiological parameters were comparable between the groups but MAP was higher (P<0.0001) in the short-duration groups. In the short-duration groups, cerebral infarct volumes were not significantly different between anaesthetics (short-duration halothane: 288 (61) mm(3), mean (SD); short-duration desflurane: 269 (71) mm(3), P>0.56). Compared with the awake state (short-duration groups), halothane and desflurane significantly reduced infarct volumes (long-duration halothane: 199 (54) mm(3), P<0.0047 vs short-duration halothane; long-duration desflurane: 121 (55) mm(3), P<0.0001 vs short-duration desflurane). The mean infarct volume in the long-duration desflurane group was significantly lower than that in the long-duration halothane group (P<0.0053). Pericranial temperatures were similar in the desflurane and halothane long-duration groups (P>0.17).


CONCLUSIONS
In rats, desflurane-induced neuroprotection against focal cerebral ischaemia was greater than that conferred by halothane.
Haelewyn
B
B
Laboratory of Experimental Anaesthesiology and Cellular Physiology, University of Caen, UPRES EA 3212, Département d'Anesthésie Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU), Côte de Nacre, Caen, France.
Yvon
A
A
Hanouz
J L
JL
MacKenzie
E T
ET
Ducouret
P
P
Gérard
J L
JL
Roussel
S
S
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077335:Desflurane; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006221:Halothane / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010313:Partial Pressure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000077335:Desflurane; D007530:Isoflurane; D010100:Oxygen; D006221:Halothane