Combination effect of low dose fentanyl and propofol on emergence agitation in children following sevoflurane anesthesia

To investigate the combination effect of low dose fentanyl and subhypnotic dose of propofol on emergence agitation in children receiving sevoflurane for adenotonsillectomy procedure. After ethical approval, a prospective, randomized, clinical study was performed in Saad Specialist Hospital, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2007-2008. One hundred and twenty children in physical status of I according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, aged 2-6 years, scheduled for adentonsillectomy under general anesthesia were allocated into 3 groups randomly. Anesthesia was induced and maintained by sevoflurane in all groups. Children received 0.1 ml.kg-1 normal saline at the end of surgery in group C [n=40], 1.5 mcg.kg-1 fentanyl during induction, and 0.1 ml.kg-1 normal saline at the end of surgery in group F [n=40], and 1.5 mcg.kg-1 fentanyl during induction and 1 mg.kg-1 propofol at the end of surgery in group FP [n=40]. Postoperative agitation was recorded, if any, for the first postoperative hour. Three groups were comparable with regard to demographic data. Twenty-one patients [53%] in the control group, 14 patients [35%] in group F and 7 [18%] patients in group FP experienced postoperative agitation. The combination of low dose fentanyl before surgery and propofol at the end of surgery decreases the incidence and level of emergence agitation in children after adenotonsillectomy procedure under sevoflurane anesthesia

Effects of dexmedetomidine in morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass

Obese patients may be sensitive to the respiratory depressant effect of opioid analgesics. Alternative methods for analgesia may be beneficial for management of bariatric surgery. We evaluated the effect of dexmedetomidine on anesthetic requirements during surgery, hemodynamic, recovery profile and morphine use in the postoperative period. Eighty adult patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery were randomly assigned to one of two study groups; Group D [40 patients] received dexmedetomidine [0.8-micro g/kg bolus, 0.4 micro g.kg[-1]. h[-1] and Group P [40 patients] received normal saline [placebo] in the same volume and rate. Intraoperative and postoperative mean blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. The total amount of intraoperative fentanyl and propofol required to maintain anesthesia were measured. Recovery profile, pain score and total amount of morphine used via patient controlled analgesia [PCA] were assessed. During surgery, dexmedetomidine decreased the total amount of intraoperative fentanyl and propofol required for maintenance of anesthesia compared to placebo. Patients who received dexmedetomidine showed significant decrease of intraoperative and postoperative mean blood pressure, heart rate. In the postoperative period, dexmedetomidine decreased pain scores and PCA morphine use significantly and showed better recovery profile as compared to the placebo group. There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting [PONV] between both groups. The intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine decreased the total amount of propofol and fentanyl required to maintain anesthesia, offered better control of intraoperative and postoperative hemodynamics, decreased postoperative pain level, decreased the total amount of morphine used and showed better recovery profile compared with placebo