The effects of total intravenous infusion of propofol or etomidate on intracranial variables in normocapneic dogs were evaluated. Twenty adult mongrel dogs were randomly allotted to: propofol group (GP) or etomidate group (GE). In GP animals, the propofol was used for induction (10mg/kg), followed by immediate continuous infusion of the drug (0.6mg/kg/min) and controlled ventilation. In GE dogs, the etomidate was used for induction (5mg/kg), followed by a continuous rate infusion (CRI) at 0.5mg/kg/min during the first ten minutes and, right after, it was changed to 0.2mg/kg/min. The initial measurement (M1) was recorded 30 minutes after the implant of the fiber optic catheter and, after that, every 20 minutes (M2, M3, and M4). The studied parameters were intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), intracranial temperature (ICT), body temperature (BT), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR). The propofol and etomidate did not change the studied variables, except the ICT and BT. It was concluded that the continuous infusion of these drugs maintains the cerebral perfusion and autoregulation. Dogs anesthetized with etomidate have adverse effects and body and intracranial temperature decrease.
dog; anesthesia; etomidate; intracranial pressure; propofol
