What is the significance of burst suppression?
High amplitude EEG patterns, with intervening low amplitude activity, are known as burst suppression. The duration of bursts and suppressions can vary from less than half a second to several seconds. The starting and end points of burst activity are often unpredictable, and the duration of bursts and suppressions may constantly vary. These finding are in contrast with periodic patterns. It must be emphasized that EEG during suppression is not isoelectric. Hence, the use of this expression should be discouraged. During suppression, some low amplitude mixed frequency activity may be visible. In propofol-induced suppression of the EEG, spindles with a frequency of 13-15 Hz can be found. Burst suppression in the EEG can be caused by many general anesthetics. In addition, the ischemic brain damage and hypothermia can cause similar EEG changes. These causative effects are, in a way, additive and hypothermia, for example, can further emphasize the suppression effect of general anesthesia. Par
