Comparison of recovery from anaesthesia induced in children with either propofol or thiopentone.

We studied 102 children undergoing day-case surgery, allocated randomly to receive either thiopentone 5 mg kg-1 or propofol 3 mg kg-1 i.v. at induction of anaesthesia. They then inhaled nitrous oxide and halothane in oxygen until a laryngeal mask airway could be inserted. Thereafter, halothane was substituted by isoflurane and analgesia provided by regional nerve block. Recovery from anaesthesia was assessed by the time taken to reach clinically-defined criteria and by calculation of sedation, pain and vomiting scores. In children aged less than 5 yr, only the time to spontaneous eye opening was shorter after propofol induction (P < 0.05). In children aged 5-11 yr, times of spontaneous eye opening, giving name and discharge were shorter after propofol induction (P < 0.05). These results indicate that propofol hastened early recovery in children undergoing day-case surgery, but earlier discharge occurred only in older children.