Background: Isoflurane and propofol reduce the recordability of compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) following single transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex (sTCMS). Repetition of the magnetic stimulus (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, rTCMS) might allow the inhibition caused by anaesthesia with isoflurane or propofol to be overcome.
Methods: We applied rTCMS (four stimuli; inter-stimulus intervals of 3, 4, 5 ms (333, 250, 200 Hz), output 2.5 Tesla) in 27 patients and recorded CMAP from the hypothenar and anterior tibial muscle. Anaesthesia was maintained with fentanyl 0.5-1 microg kg(-1) x h(-1) and either isoflurane 1.2% (10 patients) or propofol 5 mg kg(-1) x h(-1) with nitrous oxide 60% in oxygen (17 patients).
Results: No CMAP were detected during isoflurane anaesthesia. During propofol anaesthesia 333 Hz, four-pulse magnetic stimulation evoked CMAP in the hypothenar muscle in 75%, and in the anterior tibial muscle in 65% of the patients. Less response was obtained with 250 and 200 Hz stimulation.
Conclusions: In most patients, rTCMS can overcome suppression of CMAP during propofol/nitrous oxide anaesthesia, but not during isoflurane anaesthesia. A train of four magnetic stimuli at a frequency of 333 Hz is most effective in evoking potentials from the upper and lower limb muscles. The authors conclude that rTCMS can be used for evaluation of the descending motor pathways during anaesthesia.