Desflurane results in higher cerebral blood flow than sevoflurane or isoflurane at hypocapnia in pigs. Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Holmström, A., Rosén, I., & Åkeson, J. (2004). Desflurane results in higher cerebral blood flow than sevoflurane or isoflurane at hypocapnia in pigs. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 48(4), 400-404. DOI: 10.1111400-404. DOI: 10. /j.0001-5172.2004 General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.• You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Background: In clinical neuroanaesthesia, the increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and intracranial pressure caused by the cerebral vasodilative effects of an inhalational anaesthetic agent is counteracted by the cerebral vasoconstriction induced by hypocapnia. Desflurane and sevoflurane may have advantages over the more traditionally used isoflurane in neuroanaesthesia but their dose-dependent vasodilative effects at hypocapnia have not been compared in the same model using truly equipotent minimal alveolar concentrations (MACs). Method: Desflurane, sevoflurane and isoflurane were administered in a randomized order to six pigs at 0.5 and 1.0 MAC. The intra-arterial xenon clearance technique was used to calculate CBF. Blood pressure was invasively monitored. Cerebral and systemic physiological variables were recorded first at normocapnia (PaCO 2 5.6 kPa) and then at hypocapnia (PaCO 2 3.5 kPa). Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was continuously recorded. Results: None of the three agents abolished cerebrovascular reactivity to hyperventilation, and at 0.5 MAC all had similar