[Induction of anesthesia with propofol injected through a central venous catheter]

We compared propofol injected through a central venous catheter with that through a peripheral cannula from the standpoint of injection pain, induction time and hemodynamic changes. Thirty-nine patients about to receive abdominal surgery, who had central venous catheters inserted via the subclavian vein, were included in this study. General anesthesia was induced with a loading dose of propofol 1 mg.kg-1 followed by an infusion of 10 mg.kg-1.hr-1 into the central vein without carrier intravenous fluid (group A, n = 13), the peripheral vein without carrier intravenous fluid (group B, n = 13) or the peripheral vein with rapid infusion of acetated Ringer's solution (group C, n = 13). After endotracheal intubation, anesthesia was maintained with propofol 4 mg.kg-1.hr-1. The incidence of injection pain was 53% in group B and 76% in group C, whereas none of the patients in group A felt discomfort or pain during propofol injection. The mean induction time was significantly shorter in group A (43 +/- 12 sec) than group B (66 +/- 16 sec) or group C (57 +/- 11 sec). There were no differences between each group in hemodynamic changes during induction of anesthesia. Propofol injection via central venous catheter can avoid the injection pain and shorten the induction time.