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Emergence agitation after sevoflurane versus propofol in pediatric patients

S Uezono1, T Goto, K Terui

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Teikyo University and Ichihara Hospital, Chiba, Japan. suezono@leland.stanford.edu

Anesthesia and Analgesia
|August 29, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Propofol anesthesia significantly reduced emergence agitation in preschool children compared to sevoflurane. While sevoflurane led to more agitation, it resulted in a shorter recovery room stay, with parents preferring propofol.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pediatric Anesthesia
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Emergence agitation is a common concern in preschool children following sevoflurane anesthesia.
  • The current study investigates alternative anesthetic agents for maintenance to mitigate this adverse effect.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the hypothesis that propofol maintenance reduces emergence agitation compared to sevoflurane maintenance after sevoflurane induction.
  • To compare recovery characteristics and parent satisfaction between propofol and sevoflurane maintenance anesthesia.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, single-blinded, two-period, cross-over study involving 16 preschool children undergoing repeated general anesthetics.
  • Children received either sevoflurane or propofol for anesthesia maintenance after sevoflurane induction, with the alternative used on a subsequent occasion.
  • Data collected included incidence of emergence agitation, recovery speed, and parent satisfaction.

Main Results:

  • Emergence agitation occurred in 38% of children receiving sevoflurane for maintenance versus 0% with propofol maintenance.
  • Sevoflurane resulted in a shorter postanesthesia care unit stay compared to propofol.
  • Parent satisfaction was higher with propofol anesthesia than with sevoflurane.

Conclusions:

  • Propofol maintenance significantly reduces the incidence of emergence agitation in preschool-aged children compared to sevoflurane.
  • Despite a longer PACU stay, propofol offers improved outcomes regarding emergence behavior and parent satisfaction in this pediatric population.
Abstract

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