JAMA Pediatr

EEG‑guided anesthesia tied to lower emergence delirium in children

February 9, 2026

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 randomized trials (1,052 patients; ages, 1-18 years) compared EEG‑guided anesthesia with standard practice during general anesthesia. Emergence delirium occurred in 27% of children in the EEG‑guided group and 48% in the standard‑practice group (risk ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.37–0.84). Maximum pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium scores were lower with EEG guidance (mean difference [MD], –0.87), as were end‑tidal sevoflurane concentrations (MD, –0.40) and postanesthesia care unit length of stay (MD, –8.20 minutes). Burst suppression rates didn't differ significantly between groups.

Clinical takeaway: Consider whether EEG‑guided anesthesia may help reduce emergence delirium and related perioperative measures in pediatric patients.

Source:

Haidar L, et al. (2026, February 2). JAMA Pediatr. EEG-Guided Anesthesia for the Prevention of Emergence Delirium in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627803/