Abstract
BACKGROUND: Propofol, traditionally used for spinal surgery anesthesia under intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM), can interfere with IONM signals. Remazolam offers quick onset, minimal circulatory and respiratory effects, and resistance to flumazenil reversal, yet its impact on IONM signaling remains uncertain. Herein, we evaluated the impact of these 2 anesthetics on IONM during spinal surgery. METHODS: Eighty patients who had undergone spinal operation were enrolled and divided into group R and group P, with 40 cases in each group. Group R used remazolam while group P used propofol for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Demographic characteristics of the patients in both groups were recorded. IONM signals, including somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) and transcranial motor evoked potential (MEP), were compared between the 2 groups. Moreover, the heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and bispectral index were also recorded at the time of entering the operating room (T0), tracheal intubation (T1), 1 minute (T2), 30 minutes (T3), and 50 minutes (T4) after stopping the muscle relaxants. Additionally, other outcomes, including time to awakening, time to extubation, and adverse effects, were also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 80 patients were included in this study. The HR and MAP did not differ between the 2 groups at T0 (P > .05), but HR and MAP were more stable in group R than in group P from T1 to T4 (P < .05). The amplitudes of both SEP and MEP were significantly higher in group R than in group P at T3 and T4 (P < .05), while the latency of SEP and MEP was significantly shorter in group R than in group P at T3 and T4 (P < .05). Additionally, the remifentanil dose was significantly lower in group R than in group P (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Remazolam serves as a safe and alternative anesthetic in spinal surgery that minimally interferes with IONM signals and increases surgical safety.