Recovery times and side effects after propofol infusion and after isoflurane during ear surgery with additional infiltration anaesthesia

Abstract

Two anaesthetic procedures that did not include nitrous oxide were compared in a randomised study of 50 patients for tympanoplasty and tympanoscopy: propofol given for induction and maintenance, and thiopentone-isoflurane given for induction and maintenance, respectively. Induction in the first group was with a bolus injection of propofol and the same agent was given for the duration of anaesthesia by continuous intravenous administration. Thiopentone was given until loss of the eyelash reflex and anaesthesia maintained with isoflurane 0.4-2.0%. Analgesia was achieved in both groups by fentanyl given intravenously and by local injection of mepivacaine with ornipressin. The two patient groups were analysed for age, sex and weight as well as for side effects during the induction, maintenance and recovery periods, such as coughing, vomiting, venous pain, spontaneous movements, singultus, headaches, dysrhythmias and psychic disorders possibly due to anaesthesia. Side effects were moderate in both groups. Recovery time was statistically significantly shorter in the propofol group and the patients in this group appeared to be much more aware after recovery than those in the thiopentone-isoflurane group.