Anesthesia Management During Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Volatile vs. Intravenous Drugs

Anesthetic management during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is challenging in many aspects. Evidence of mortality reduction due to the use of volatile agents during cardiac surgery has led to their increased use in CPB. Partly because of the difficulty to administer volatile agents during CPB, total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) has become the most popular technique used by cardiac anesthetists throughout this critical period. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of volatile agents’ administration to ensure maintenance of adequate depth of anesthesia during CPB and weighting risks and benefits of this technique compared to TIVA.