Do anaesthetized patients recover better after bispectral index monitoring?

Could Bispectral Index (BIS) monitoring during anaesthesia improve the recovery characteristics of patients? Previous studies have shown conflicting results. To eliminate bias, a control group of 75 cases anaesthetized by the authors was compared to a reference group of 141 cases anaesthetized by other anaesthetists. A study group of 71 cases was then anaesthetized by the authors titrating to BIS 40-50 and this was compared with the control group. Recovery characteristics were assessed using a Modified Aldrete score. BIS monitored cases had improvements in blood pressure stability (P = 0.023) and respiratory score (P = 0.016) throughout the study period. Activity and consciousness levels were higher on arrival in PACU in the BIS monitored group (P = 0.015 and P = 0.017) but were not maintained. There was no significant difference in mean oxygen saturation scores. The improved recovery characteristics in BIS monitored patients may have positive implications for safety, nursing workload, staffing, and cost savings in the PACU.