Home > Encyclopedia of Surgery > Bispectral Index

Definition

The bispectral index (BIS) is one of several systems used in anesthesiology as of 2003 to measure the effects of specific anesthetic drugs on the brain and to track changes in the patient's level of sedation or hypnosis. In technical terms, the bispectral index itself is a complex mathematical algorithm that allows a computer inside an anesthesia monitor to analyze data from a patient's electroencephalogram (EEG) during surgery. BIS, which has been in use since 1997, is a type of automated direct measurement of the patient's condition, in comparison to the Glasgow Coma Scale and similar scoring systems, which are indirect assessments of sedation.

Purpose

Anesthetic depth

A brief discussion of anesthetic...