Propofol-nitrous oxide versus thiopental sodium-isoflurane-nitrous oxide for strabismus surgery in children.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To assess the quality of anesthesia and recovery and the frequency of postanesthetic retching and vomiting with propofol anesthesia for pediatric strabismus surgery.

DESIGN

Randomized, open, prospective study.

SETTING

University hospital.

PATIENTS

Forty children scheduled for strabismus surgery.

INTERVENTIONS

The 40 patients were all premedicated with oral midazolam and received intraoperative opioids. They were divided into two groups: Twenty children received propofol at induction, followed by maintenance of anesthesia with propofol infusion and an oxygen-nitrous oxide (O2-N2O) mixture. The other 20 children received thiopental sodium at induction, followed by isoflurane in an O2-N2O mixture.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

At induction, pain and spontaneous movements were seen significantly more with propofol (11 of 20 vs. 0 of 20 for pain and 13 of 20 vs. 0 of 20 for spontaneous movements; p < 0.001), whereas thoracic rigidity was observed only with thiopental sodium (4 of 20). During maintenance of anesthesia, significantly more oculocardiac reflexes were seen with propofol (10 of 20 vs. 3 of 20; p < 0.02). The interval between termination of anesthesia and extubation was significantly shorter with propofol (13 minutes vs. 16 minutes; p < 0.02). For the first 24 hours after surgery, significantly less retching and vomiting were observed in the propofol group (4 of 20 vs. 11 of 20; p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Propofol induction and maintenance of anesthesia for strabismus surgery in children significantly lowers the frequency of postanesthetic retching and vomiting, but propofol is associated with pain and spontaneous movements at induction and a high frequency of oculocardiac reflexes during maintenance infusion.