THE EFFECT OF ALFENTANIL ON CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID PRESSURE IN HUMAN VOLUNTEERS

Although the administration of alfentanil is routine in neurosurgical anaesthesia, the effects of the drug on cerebrospinal fluid pressure ( CSFP) or intracranial pressure (ICP) have been a subject of controvers y in the past. Therefore the effects of alfentanil (3 mu g kg(-1)) on mean lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP), heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP) and end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO(2)) in human volunteers without cerebral disease is reported here. The CSFP increased from 9 mmHg (P<0.05) after intrav enous (i.v.) injection of alfentanil, to 12 mmHg whereas MAP, CVP HR a nd ETCO(2), remained stable throughout the investigative period. The r esults from this study suggest that alfentanil, even when administered in low doses, leads to a relatively small but statistically significa nt increase in CSFP in humans with uncompromised intracranial complian ce.