Propofol anaesthesia in paediatric ambulatory patients: a comparison with thiopentone and halothane.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the haemodynamic changes during induction, as well as the speed and quality of recovery when propofol (vs thiopentone and/or halothane) was used for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia in paediatric outpatients. One hundred unmedicated children, 3-12-yr-old, scheduled for ambulatory surgery were studied. The most common surgical procedures performed were eye muscle surgery (42%), plastic surgery (21%), dental restoration (15%), and urological procedures (15%). The children were randomized to an anaesthetic regimen for induction/maintenance as follows: propofol/propofol infusion; propofol/halothane; thiopentone/halothane; halothane for both induction and maintenance. Succinylcholine 1.5 mg.kg-1 was used to facilitate tracheal intubation and N2O/O2 were used as the carrier gases in each case. All maintenance drugs were titrated according to the clinical response of the patient to prevent movement and/or maintain BP +/- 20% of baseline. Two patients (4%) who received propofol expressed discomfort during injection. The mean propofol dose required to prevent movement was 267 +/- 83 micrograms.kg-1.min-1. The overall pattern of haemodynamic changes, as well as awakening (extubation) times were not different among the four groups. Children who received propofol recovered faster (22 vs 29-36 min) (P < 0.05), were discharged home sooner (101 vs 127-144 min) (P < 0.05), and had less postoperative vomiting (4 vs 24-48%) (P < 0.05) than all others.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)