Biomaterial Database

Anaesthesia and saccadic eye movements. 2000

O A Khan, and S R Taylor, and J G Jones

University Department of Anaesthesia, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Box 93, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.

During the last 10 years, there has been a vast increase in day-case surgery under general anaesthesia, but this has not been accompanied by research into the residual cognitive and motor effects during recovery from anaesthesia. Part of the explanation for this phenomenon is the lack of a suitable biophysical monitor of anaesthetic sedation. This review discusses one of the most commonly used of these biophysical monitors - namely saccadic eye movements. In particular, the efficacy of peak saccadic velocity as a monitor of sedation will be evaluated. In addition, the physiology and pharmacology of saccadic eye movements will be discussed within the context of developing other parameters of saccadic eye movements as novel biophysical monitors of anaesthetic sedation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007259	Infrared Rays	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum usually sensed as heat. Infrared wavelengths are longer than those of visible light, extending into the microwave frequencies. They are used therapeutically as heat, and also to warm food in restaurants.	Heat Waves,Heat Wave,Infrared Ray,Ray, Infrared,Rays, Infrared,Wave, Heat,Waves, Heat
D004585	Electrooculography	Recording of the average amplitude of the resting potential arising between the cornea and the retina in light and dark adaptation as the eyes turn a standard distance to the right and the left. The increase in potential with light adaptation is used to evaluate the condition of the retinal pigment epithelium.	EOG,Electrooculograms,Electrooculogram
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000762	Anesthesia Recovery Period	The period of emergence from general anesthesia, where different elements of consciousness return at different rates.	Recovery Period, Anesthesia,Anesthesia Recovery Periods,Period, Anesthesia Recovery,Periods, Anesthesia Recovery,Recovery Periods, Anesthesia
D012438	Saccades	An abrupt voluntary shift in ocular fixation from one point to another, as occurs in reading.	Pursuit, Saccadic,Saccadic Eye Movements,Eye Movement, Saccadic,Eye Movements, Saccadic,Movement, Saccadic Eye,Movements, Saccadic Eye,Pursuits, Saccadic,Saccade,Saccadic Eye Movement,Saccadic Pursuit,Saccadic Pursuits
D016343	Monitoring, Intraoperative	The constant checking on the state or condition of a patient during the course of a surgical operation (e.g., checking of vital signs).	Intraoperative Monitoring
D018681	Anesthetics, General	Agents that induce various degrees of analgesia; depression of consciousness, circulation, and respiration; relaxation of skeletal muscle; reduction of reflex activity; and amnesia. There are two types of general anesthetics, inhalation and intravenous. With either type, the arterial concentration of drug required to induce anesthesia varies with the condition of the patient, the desired depth of anesthesia, and the concomitant use of other drugs. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual, 1994, p.173)	General Anesthetic,General Anesthetics,Anesthetic, General