title: Pressure-supported ventilation for posterior fossa operation.
abstract: To maintain enough gas exchange while using spontaneous respiration as a monitor of the normal brainstem function, we tried pressure-supported ventilation (PSV) with a Servo 900C ventilator (Siemens Elema AB, Sweden) on 12 otherwise healthy patients during posterior fossa operation. Ventilation mode was switched from controlled to PSV after the dura was open uneventfully in all cases but one. With a trigger level of -1 to -2 cm H2O, spontaneous respiration was triggered to start the inspiration. With supporting inspiratory pressure of 4-20 cm H2O, PaCO2 was kept at 31.7-45.9 mm Hg. The ventilatory level could be monitored breath by breath by ventilatory frequency, tidal volume, minute volume, and end-tidal CO2 concentration shown on the ventilator system. Apnea was observed in two cases during surgical manipulation around the brainstem. It was indicated immediately by the ventilator's alarm for decreased expiratory minute volume, and no sign of brainstem dysfunction was observed postoperatively. PSV was useful in maintaining adequate ventilation whereas spontaneous respiration was used as an indicator of normal brainstem function. The alarm system of the ventilator was sensitive enough to detect the surgical invasion of the brainstem at a very early stage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Akita University School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yanase
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki