Assessment of anaesthesia and recovery of propofol Diprivan as a main intravenous anaesthetic agent in minor surgical procedures

ABSTRACT

Thirty adult patients of both sexes [ASA-1], scheduled for minor surgical procedures were premedicated with atropine only. Anesthesia induced by propofol using a titration method and maintained by increments of 20-30 mg together with inhalation of 50% N2O in O2. The mean induction dose was 2.05 +/- 0.12 mg/kg and mean induction time was 38.5 +/- 6.7 seconds. The quality of induction was good in all patients. Immediately after induction there was significant increase in respiratory and heart rates together with significant reduction in systolic and diastolic arterial pressures which gradually returned to the pre-induction values. Pain at site of injection was noticed in 36.4% of the patients when the veins in the dorsum of the hand were used. Apnea occurred in 20% of patients and its duration was not more than 20 seconds. During anesthesia with propofol 6.6% of the patients showed spontaneous movements, 6.6% showed twitches and one patient showed mild laryngeal spasm. The recovery times after propofol anesthesia were markedly short. The mean time to sit after the end of anesthesia was 6.1 +/- 2.6 minutes and the mean time to stand up unaided was 8.1 +/- 3.1 minutes. The study showed a significant association between total induction dose, total dose of propofol given and duration of anesthesia with the time to sit and time to stand up. All patients had maximum recovery room score after 15 minutes from the end of anesthesia. The study suggests that propofol is the most suitable intravenous anesthetic agent for day case surgery for its smooth induction, uneventful and uncomplicated recovery