Practice Trends and Research Priorities of Neurosurgical Anesthesia

Abstract

Aim of review:One of the goals of neurosurgical anesthesia is to facilitate the execution of neurosurgical procedures including intraoperative neurological monitoring. However, it should also and always aim at benefiting the patients by improving the patient's long-term and disease-specific outcomes. Method: In this review, we highlighted some perspectives of today's practice trends and research priorities of neurosurgical anesthesia for the purpose of exploring the best care based on evidence, and speculation where relevant evidence is lacking. Recent findings: The advancement in general anesthesia and better understanding of neurological diseases have promoted the evolution of the sub-specialty of neurosurgical anesthesia. Facilitating modern neurosurgical procedures including intraoperative neurological monitoring is a priority of neurosurgical anesthesia. However, a focus on the patient outcomes can never be over-emphasized. The effect of any component of anesthesia care, such as drugs choice and dose, ventilation management, and intravascular volume and cardiac output care, on patient's outcome should be appraised by quality research. Summary: It is important to recognize that different patient populations have different and disease/surgery-specific outcomes that should also be taken into account during the customization of anesthesia techniques. ABSTRACT