“The bispectral index has been widely used to assess the depth of anesthesia with the aim of reducing intraoperative awareness,” said Thomas Cheriyan, MD, a resident at Augusta University Medical Center, in Georgia. “Nevertheless, a seminal study by Myles et al [Lancet 2004;363(9423):1757-1763], which showed a significant decrease in intraoperative awareness in patients who underwent BIS monitoring, has not been replicated in subsequent studies. In addition, the utility of BIS in reducing the use of inhaled and intravenous anesthetics has produced conflicting results.
