propofol + fentanyl + sevoflurane (Heidelberg University)

This anesthetic regimen consists of a low-dose combination of propofol, fentanyl, and sevoflurane, titrated to maintain a shallow depth of anesthesia as measured by a Bispectral Index (BIS) value above 45. Developed and studied by Heidelberg University, this specific protocol was evaluated in patients undergoing shoulder surgery to investigate the impact of anesthesia depth on cellular activity (T-cells, NK-cells, monocytes) and protein expression patterns in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. The study aimed to determine if maintaining a lighter plane of anesthesia could mitigate certain physiological or immunological changes compared to deeper anesthetic states (BIS ≤ 45).

Other names

Shallow anesthesiaLow dose propofol, fentanyl and sevofluraneBIS above 45