A COMPARISON - THE EFFICACY OF SEVOFLURANE-NITROUS OXIDE OR PROPOFOL-NITROUS OXIDE FOR THE INDUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF GENERAL-ANESTHESIA

Study Objective: To compare sevoflurane-nitrous oxide with propofol-ni trous oxide for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia, and to de termine the rates of recovery following each anesthetic. Design: Rando mized controlled study. Setting: Teaching hospital. Patients: 50 ASA p hysical status I and II patients, ranging in age from 18 to 70 years. Interventions: General anesthesia was induced with either sevoflurane or propofol and maintained with GO ro to 70 % nitrous oxide and either sevoflurane or a propofol infusion and supplemental fentanyl. As the conclusion of surgery, the oxygen flow was increased to 6 L/min and al l anesthetics were discontinued simultaneously. Patients were monitore d for the nature and speed of induction and emergency from anesthesia. Measurements and Main Results: Induction of anesthesia was significan tly slower in the sevoflurane group than in the propofol group, (2.0 /- 1.1 vs. 0.8 +\- 0.5 min, respectively). The ease of induction and t he time required for emergence from anesthesia were the same in both s tudy groups (eye opening 9.0 +/- 4.4 min vs. 8.0 +/- 5.0 min; followin g commands: 11.2 +/- 5.0 min vs, 9.8 +/- 6.9 min, extubation: 9.1 +/- 4.5 min vs. 8.6 vs. 5.1 min in the sevoflurane and propofol groups, re spectively. Patients in the sevoflurane group experienced nausea and v omiting more frequently than patients in the propofol group (13 and 5 patients vs. 3 and 0 patients in the sevoflurane and propofol groups, respectively, which were not related to the administration of neostigm ine or intraoperative opioids. Conclusion: Sevoflurane allows for rapi d inhalation induction of and emergence from, general anesthesia. (C) 1996 by Elsevier Science Inc.