Currently, nociception monitors are not part of standard anaesthesia care. We investigated whether combined intraoperative nociception (NOL index) and anaesthesia (BIS index) monitoring during general anaesthesia would reduce anaesthetics consumption and enhance intraoperative safety and postoperative recovery when compared to standard of care monitoring (SOC).

In this randomised study, we included 60 patients undergoing colonic surgery under desflurane/remifentanil anaesthesia and epidural analgesia. Patients received either standard monitoring or combined BIS + NOL index monitoring. In the monitored group, remifentanil infusion was titrated to achieve a NOL index below 20. Desflurane was adjusted to BIS values (45–55). In the SOC group, remifentanil and desflurane were titrated on vital signs and MAC. The primary outcome was intraoperative desflurane consumption.

Fifty-five patients were analysed. Desflurane administration was reduced in the monitored group from 0.25 ± 0.05 to 0.20 ± 0.06 mL kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ (p < 0.001). The cumulative time with a BIS under 40 was significantly higher in the SOC group with a median time of 12.6 min (95% CI: 0.6–80.0) versus 2.0 min (95% CI: 0.3–5.83) (p = 0.023). Time for extubation was significantly shorter in the monitored group: 4.4 min (95% CI: 2.4–4.9) versus 6.28 min (95% IC: 5.0–8.2) (p = 0.003). We observed no differences in remifentanil or phenylephrine requirements during anaesthesia or in postoperative outcome measures, such as postoperative pain, opioid consumption, neurocognitive recovery.

Combined intraoperative monitoring of anaesthesia and nociception during colonic surgery resulted in less desflurane consumption and quicker extubation time compared to standard clinical care monitoring.