In a former EEG analysis - focusing on the period of anaesthesia induction in the same patient cohort that is presented here - we have shown that the occurrence of interictal, epileptiform discharges is positively related to the development of ED. Įlevated concentrations of the anaesthetic agent sevoflurane cause an increase of epileptiform discharges during anaesthesia induction in children. Pediatric anaesthesiologists are concerned, since it has been proposed that anaesthetic agents may be neurotoxic to the developing brain. The implications on long-term outcomes especially regarding cognitive function in children is still under discussion. However, it increases the risk of self-injury and induces stress to the medical staff as well as to the caregivers. Emergence delirium (ED) in children is mostly self-limited and has a benign course. In preschool children, postoperative delirium occurs during emergence from anaesthesia during the stay in the post-anaesthesiological care unit (emergence delirium) and presents with acute disorientation, crying, agitation and missing response to the surroundings. Postoperative delirium is the most frequent brain dysfunction in patients recovering from general anaesthesia, mainly seen in preschool children as well as in elderly patients. Burst Suppression occurrence is frequent however, it does not seem to have an unfavourable impact on cerebral function at emergence from general anaesthesia in children. Our data reveal no correlation between the occurrence and duration of intraoperative Burst Suppression activity and the incidence of emergence delirium. Non-emergence delirium group 49% / 318 + 531 s) did not differ significantly between both groups. Overall 52% of the children displayed intraoperative Burst Suppression periods however, occurrence and duration of Burst Suppression (Emergence delirium group 55% / 261 + 462 s vs. Resultsįrom 97 children being analysed within this study, 40 children developed emergence delirium, and 57 children did not. Emergence delirium was assessed using the Pediatric Assessment of Emergence Delirium Score. Occurrence and duration of Burst Suppression periods were visually analysed. Intraoperative bi-frontal electroencephalograms were recorded. In this prospective, observational cohort study at the Charité - university hospital in Berlin / Germany children aged 0.5 to 8 years, undergoing planned surgery, were included between September 2015 and February 2017. The presented study analysed an association between emergence delirium and intraoperative Burst Suppression activity in the electroencephalogram, a period of very deep hypnosis during general anaesthesia. Emergence-delirium is the most frequent brain dysfunction in children recovering from general anaesthesia, though the pathophysiological background remains unclear.