Recovery from day-case anaesthesia: comparison of a further four techniques including use of the new induction agent diprivan.

Eighty unpremedicated patients received thiopentone and halothane, propanidid and fentanyl, diprivan (ICI 35 868) alone, or diprivan and fentanyl, each supplementing 66% nitrous oxide in oxygen. Diprivan alone, or in combination with fentanyl, resulted in a more rapid awakening than thiopentone and halothane, and significantly shorter recovery times than both thiopentone and halothane and propranidid and fentanyl. Administration of fentanyl with diprivan significantly reduced the total dose of the latter and all indices of recovery. Propanidid and fentanyl did not produce shorter overall recovery times than thiopentone and halothane but nausea and vomiting after operation were significantly increased when compared with the other techniques.