PROPOFOL ANESTHESIA REDUCES EMESIS AND AIRWAY-OBSTRUCTION IN PEDIATRIC OUTPATIENTS

This study was an authors' comparison of the effects of and recovery f rom anesthesia in healthy, premedicated pediatric outpatients who rece ived either inhaled anesthetics (group 1) or propofol (group 2). Group 1 (n = 68) averaged 3.8 +/- 0.2 yr and weighed 17.7 +/- 0.8 kg, where as group 2 (n = 75) averaged 3.3 +/- 0.2 yr and weighed 16.3 +/- 0.6 k g. The incidence of vomiting in the Postanesthetic Care Unit (PACU) an d from discharge to the first postoperative morning was lower in the g roup receiving propofol (0% and 18%) than in the group receiving volat ile agents (7% and 34%, P < 0.05. The incidence of airway obstruction during induction of anesthesia was higher (34% vs 10%, P < 0.01) in ch ildren receiving inhaled agent. Withdrawal of the extremity with propo fol injection occurred in 14 (19%) patients. Arterial blood pressure w as higher at loss of consciousness, laryngoscopy, and tracheal intubat ion in group 2 (P < 0.01). The length of time from the end of surgery to extubation of the trachea, recovery scores, and length of time spen t in the PACU and the Day Surgery Unit were the same in the two groups . Pain scores obtained in the PACU were not different. The data indica te that propofol can be used safely to induce and maintain anesthesia in healthy pediatric outpatients. This coupled with the low incidence of vomiting and airway obstruction in the propofol group suggests dist inct and compelling reasons to consider using the drug in this patient population.