A multicenter randomized double-blind comparison of remifentanil and alfentanil during total intravenous anaesthesia for out-patient laparoscopic gynaecological procedures.

ABSTRACT

We compared Remifentanil, an esterase-metabolized opioid, with Alfentanil as part of the total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and atracurium for out-patient laparoscopic gynaecological procedures in a multicenter randomized, double-blind study. We chose Remifentanil 1 mg./kg.for bolus injection and a continuous infusion of 0.25-0.5 microg./kg./min, compared to Alfentanil 20 microg./kg. For bolus injection and a continuous infusion of 0.5-1 microg./kg./min. Fifty-nine patients received Remifentanil, and sixty-three received Alfentanil. Patients who received Remifetanil experienced significantly fewer stress responses to surgical stimuli (p < 0.05) and required fewer additional boluses of study drugs and propofol (p < 0.05) than Alfentanil during the intraoperative period. Response time to verbal commands, spontaneous respiration, adequate respiration and tracheal extubation, were not significantly different between these two opioids. Remifentanil patients, required more fentanyl for post operative pain control, 40 from 59 cases in the Remifentanil group and 22 from 63 cases in the Alfentanil group (p < 0.05) but still showed significantly better recovery of psychomotor function by Aldrete score of ten at 50 and 60 min (p < 0.05) than Alfentanil patients. The incidence of intraoperative bradycardia was significantly higher with Remifentanil. Other incidences of nausea, emesis, urinary retention and postural hypotension were similar. All patients were ready to be discharged from the hospital within two hours after extubation except for one patient in the Alfentanil group who needed five hours of hospital stay because of urinary retention, nausea and severe emesis.