Does Heart Rate Variablity (HRV) Predict Hypotension on Induction in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Cervical Myelopathy ?

Protocol

1. Standard perioperative management Routine standard preparation of the patients will be carried out as per the investigators institutional standard for all patients undergoing cervical spine surgery. All routine physiological monitoring (ECG, invasive arterial blood pressure, SPO2, end tidal CO2, temperature and depth of anaesthesia monitoring) will be performed. The induction of anesthesia will be performed with propofol (2-5 mg/kg), fentanyl (3mcg/Kg) and rocuronium (0.6 mg/kg) for intubation of the patient's trachea once peripheral nerve stimulation shows no muscle twitches.
2. Study protocol Before general anesthesia, following a 10 minute stabilization period with the patient lying supine and breathing at a rate of 12 - 15 breaths per minute, a 5 minute ECG recording will be obtained. ECG data will be downloaded onto a study laptop for later analysis using LabChart Software to determine HRV values. Hemodynamic data and depth of anaesthesia will be collected from the preinduction period until skin incision at 1 minute intervals. The study will be complete after skin incision.

Data Collection and Management Data Collection The following data will be collected: patient demographics, surgical data including position technique, number of levels, duration, anaesthetic data including agents used, hemodynamic measurements from preinduction to surgical incision, Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score. The incidence of hypotension and the number of interventions required to keep mean arterial blood pressure above 70 mmHg will be recorded.

Significance of the study Identifying patients at risk for hypotension can be useful to prevent hypotension and to prepare to treat hypotension sooner so that the risk of spinal cord ischemia can be minimized.