[A new method of continuous propofol infusion for total intravenous anesthesia]

Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) is recommended to avoid air pollution. However, intermittent administration of anesthetic agents has a large disadvantage of delayed emergence time. We suggested continuous TIVA with propofol, ketamine, vecuronium and buprenorphine (PKBp), and reported that maintenance with continuous intravenous administration of propofol corresponding to the age associated with ketamine (240 micrograms.kg-1.h-1), vecuronium (80 micrograms.kg-1.h-1) and buprenorphine (0.4 microgram.kg-1.h-1) brought rapid emergence and that the last 1/6 of anesthetic time was the point to reduce propofol maintenance dose. In this study, we maintained anesthesia with continuous intravenous administration of propofol using twice step down method every one hour. We conclude that the reduction of propofol maintenance dose for every 1/6 in one hour produces fewer dropout cases.