ABRET Certified Neurophysiologic Intraoperative Monitor (CNIM) Practice Exam

High-dose maintenance of Fentanyl is known to have specific effects on EEG patterns. When considering the nature of Fentanyl, an opioid, it tends to produce sedation and can lead to alterations in brain activity as reflected in the EEG. In the context of thicker dosing, Fentanyl is more likely to dampen the overall cortical activity rather than result in clear wave patterns or enhanced activation.

The EEG is influenced by the sedative properties of high doses of Fentanyl, which can lead to more suppressed activity rather than a clear or enhanced cortical response. While it can cause a variety of EEG effects, a significant point is that, at high doses, it may not necessarily lead to burst depression. Burst suppression is characterized by alternating periods of high-amplitude activity followed by low-amplitude or flat periods. High-dose Fentanyl realistically may sustain a background of less activity rather than the definitive bursts of suppression seen with other agents or in deeper sedation scenarios.

Thus, understanding this context, it becomes clear why the assertion that high-dose maintenance of Fentanyl may not result in EEG burst depression aligns with what is known about how this drug influences neural activity during sedation or anesthesia.