COMPUTER-ASSISTED CONTINUOUS-INFUSION FOR THE DELIVERY OF TARGET-CONTROLLED INFUSIONS OF PROPOFOL DURING OUTPATIENT SURGERY

Propofol was administered intravenously using a first-order, three-com partment, computer-controlled infusion pump (CCIP) based on the Ohmeda 9000 syringe pump. The CCIP system produced a target-controlled infus ion (TCI) based on the estimated blood concentration (EBC). Twenty-fiv e patients undergoing ambulatory surgery completed the study. The indu ction EBC was 4.72 +/- 0.28 mu g/ml, and was achieved rapidly with min imal hemodynamic changes. The emergence EBC was 1.55 +/- 0.21 mu g/ml, and the discharge EBC was 1.06 +/- 0.22 mu g/ml. The EBC, together wi th clinical signs, allowed for predictable inductance and emergence fr om anesthesia using propofol.