Recovery of psychomotor function following general anaesthesia in children: a comparison of propofol and thiopentone/halothane

The present study was undertaken to compare immediate recovery and recovery of complex psychomotor function in 20 children (aged 6–12 years) following general anaesthesia with either thiopentone/halothane or propofol. Early recovery of psychomotor skills was significantly faster in the propofol group than in the thiopentone/halothane group. Compared to preanaesthesia baseline the sedation and cooperation scores, the reaction time to visual and auditory stimuli as well as the postbox test and the flicker fusion frequency were less impaired after propofol than after thiopentone/halothane anaesthesia up to 120 min postoperatively. In the propofol group most tests reached preanaesthesia levels after 120 min, while in the thiopentone/halothane group these levels were not reattained throughout the entire study period. The results indicate that the recovery of psychomotor function in paediatric patients following general anaesthesia with propofol is significantly faster than with thiopentone/halothane. This has important implications for parental satisfaction, the time over which patients need to be monitored in the recovery room and for the discharge criteria after daycase surgery.

[1]  T. Short,et al.  Recovery after propofol infusion anaesthesia in children: comparison with propofol, thiopentone or halothane induction followed by halothane maintenance. , 1994, British journal of anaesthesia.

[2]  A. Hiller.  Comparison of cardiovascular changes during anaesthesia and recovery from propofol‐alfentanil‐nitrous oxide and thiopentone‐halothane‐nitrous oxide anaesthesia in children undergoing otolaryngological surgery , 1993, Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica.

[3]  N. Morton,et al.  IV anaesthesia with propofol using a target-controlled infusion system: comparison with inhalation anaesthesia for general surgical procedures in children. , 1993, British journal of anaesthesia.

[4]  S. Nicolson,et al.  Propofol anesthesia reduces emesis and airway obstruction in pediatric outpatients. , 1993, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[5]  B. Asgeirsson,et al.  Propofol‐fentanyl anesthesia compared to thiopental‐halothane with special reference to recovery and vomiting after pediatric strabismus surgery * , 1992, Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica.

[6]  B. Bissonnette,et al.  A NEW ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE CONNECTOR FOR SAMPLING END-TIDAL CO2 IN INFANTS , 1991 .

[7]  J. Lerman,et al.  RECOVERY CHARACTERISTICS FOLLOWING PROPOFOL INDUCTION AND MAINTENANCE ANESTHESIA IN CHILDRENA COMPARATIVE STUDY , 1991 .

[8]  P. Westrin.  The induction dose of propofol in infants 1-6 months of age and in children 10-16 years of age. , 1991, Anesthesiology.

[9]  R. K. Leung,et al.  Propofol for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia at Caesarean section A comparison with thiopentone/enflurane , 1991, Anaesthesia.

[10]  A. Borgeat,et al.  Comparison of Propofol and Thiopental/Halothane for Short‐Duration ENT Surgical Procedures in Children , 1990, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[11]  R. Hannallah,et al.  INDUCTION DOSE OF PROPOFOL IN UNPREMEDICATED CHILDREN , 1990 .

[12]  K. Boysen,et al.  Induction and recovery characteristics of propofol, thiopental and etomidate , 1989, Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica.

[13]  M. Pinaud,et al.  Propofol en perfusion à débit continu versus enflurane chez l'enfant opéré de strabisme. Comparaison de la qualité de l'anesthésie et du réveil , 1989 .

[14]  J. Motsch,et al.  [Initial experiences with propofol (Disoprivan) for anesthesia induction in pediatric anesthesia]. , 1988, Der Anaesthesist.

[15]  M. Rosen,et al.  Propofol induction and maintenance with nitrous oxide in paediatric outpatient dental anaesthesia , 1988, Anaesthesia.

[16]  J. Raeder,et al.  Comparison of propofol induction with thiopentone or methohexitone in short outpatient general anaesthesia. , 1988, Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica.

[17]  I. Grant,et al.  Recovery following propofol ('Diprivan') anaesthesia--a review of three different anaesthetic techniques. , 1985, Postgraduate medical journal.

[18]  I. Hindmarch.  Psychomotor function and psychoactive drugs. , 1980, British journal of clinical pharmacology.

[19]  G. R. Kelman,et al.  Critical flicker frequency after small doses of methohexitone, diazepam and sodium 4-hydroxybutyrate. , 1971, British journal of anaesthesia.