COMPARISON OF PROPOFOL WITH ENFLURANE DURING HYPOTENSIVE ANESTHESIA FOR MIDDLE-EAR SURGERY

Forty patients undergoing middle ear surgery were allocated randomly t o receive propofol induction and maintenance, or thiopentone induction and enflurane maintenance for anaesthesia. Both groups also received fentanyl, alcuronium, nitrous oxide and oxygen. If this did not reduce systolic arterial pressure to 70 mm Hg, labetalol, glyceryl trinitrat e (GTN), or both, was administered. Fifteen control patients had enflu rane anaesthesia without hypotension. Pre- and postoperative psychomet ric tests were performed in afl groups. The propofol group received si gnificantly more labetalol (P = 0.014) and GTN (P = 0.004) than the en flurane group. There was a greater increase in reaction times after op eration in the study groups (P < 0.05) compared with controls. There w as no difference between the propofol and enflurane groups in control of arterial pressure, recovery from anaesthesia or psychometric testin g.