The aim of this study was to establish whether propofol in combination
with fentanyl or ketamine provides a good quality of anaesthesia and
recovery time in urological endoscopic outpatient surgery. Sixty patie
nts (ASA I-II) were assigned randomly to receive either 2.5 mu g kg(-1
) fentanyl or 1 mg kg(-1) ketamine. In both groups anaesthesia was ind
uced with propofol 1.5 mg kg(-1) and maintained with 7 mg kg(-1) h(-1)
Patients breathed nitrous oxide and oxygen 3:2 spontaneously. Cardiov
ascular parameters were more stable after ketamine. The most important
side effect was the presence of apnoea lasting longer than 60 s in 14
patients receiving fentanyl. The time to establish alertness was shor
ter in the ketamine group, who also had a better (P<0.05) as well as p
ost-anaesthetic recovery room score.