Effect of end‐tidal carbon dioxide level on the optic nerve sheath diameter measured by transorbital ultrasonography in anesthetized pediatric patients: A randomized trial

• Published in: Pediatric anesthesia Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 754 - 763
• Main Authors: Jang, Young‐Eun, Nam, SeungPyo, Ji, Sang‐Hwan, Kim, Eun‐Hee, Lee, Ji‐Hyun, Jung, Jae Ho, Kim, Hee‐Soo, Kim, Jin‐Tae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2022
• Subjects: anesthesia, general; Carbon dioxide; General anesthesia; Intracranial pressure; mechanical ventilation; Optic nerve; optic nerve sheath diameter; pediatric; Pediatrics; Ultrasonic imaging; ultrasonography; Ventilation; mechanical ventilation; ultrasonography; optic nerve sheath diameter; anesthesia, general; pediatric
• ISSN: 1155-5645; 1460-9592
• DOI: 10.1111/pan.14437

Background Intraoperative hypercapnia and hypocapnia are common during pediatric anesthesia, and the cerebral blood flow and intracranial pressure may be affected by the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide. Transorbital ultrasound measurement of the optic nerve sheath diameter is a simple and non‐invasive method for intracranial pressure assessment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of end‐tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) on optic nerve sheath diameter in a healthy anesthetized pediatric population. Methods Pediatric patients scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia and mechanical ventilation in the supine position were enrolled and divided into four subgroups; age <2 years, 2–6 years, 6–12 years, and 12–18 years. Mechanical ventilation was adjusted to achieve target ETCO2 levels in a randomized sequence (40–35–45–40 mmHg or 40–45–35–40 mmHg). Three minutes after reaching each target ETCO2 level, transorbital ultrasound images of optic nerve sheath diameter were obtained and analyzed. The primary outcome was the optic nerve sheath diameter at each ETCO2 level. Results Sixty‐four pediatric patients were enrolled and analyzed. At ETCO2 = 40 mmHg, the optic nerve sheath diameter was 5.6 ± 0.6 mm, 6.4 ± 0.5 mm, 6.8 ± 0.6 mm, and 7.1 ± 0.5 mm in children aged <2 years, 2–6 years, 6–12 years, and 12–18 years, respectively. The overall percent decreases in the optic nerve sheath diameter was −5.6 ± −4.3% (95% CI; −6.7 to −4.5%) at ETCO2 = 35 mmHg while the overall percent increases of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) was 4.9 ± 5.1% (95% CI; 3.6 to 6.1%) at ETCO2 = 45 mmHg compared with those at ETCO2 = 40 mmHg. Spearman rank correlation analysis indicated that there were weak to moderate correlation between ETCO2 and the optic nerve sheath diameter (correlation coefficient [p‐value] = .355 [.004], .318 [.014], .373 [<.001], and .420 [<.001] in children aged <2 years, 2–6 years, 6–12 years, and 12–18 years, respectively). Conclusions The optic nerve sheath diameter measured by transorbital ultrasound showed rapid reactivity from ETCO2 35 to 45 mmHg in healthy pediatric patients under inhalation general anesthesia.