[Clinical pathway "laparoscopic prostatectomy". Analysis of anesthesiological procedures in a randomized study]

In this study we investigated the anesthesiological module of a clinical pathway. We chose the pathway of "laparoscopic prostatectomy" as an example for time-consuming minimally invasive surgery and 40 patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups receiving either total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) using propofol/ remifentanil or balanced minimal flow anesthesia using desflurane/ remifentanil. During this module the indicators of quality such as vigilance, pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and mobilization were measured. Costs were evaluated and analyzed by a bottom-up procedure.

There were no anesthesia-related deviations from clinical pathways and both forms of anesthesia management were equally well tolerated by the patients. No significant difference was observed regarding hemodynamic measurements or PONV. The patients in the desflurane/ remifentanil group recovered more rapidly (p=0.037) and had more pain. The amount of analgesic agents given immediately following anesthesia was significantly higher than in the TIVA group (p=0.017). The median anesthesia costs per minute for laparoscopic prostatectomy in the propofol group were 2.79 EUR (minimum cost 2.41 EUR, maximum cost 3.21 EUR) and in the desflurane group 2.68 EUR (minimum cost 2.45 EUR, maximum cost 3.39 EUR). The total anesthesia costs for both groups were within the proceeds matrix range for diagnosis-related groups (DRG). However, the cost analysis for medication was slightly higher than the proceeds matrix range for DRGs.

Both forms of anesthesia can be implemented for time-consuming surgical procedures and allow a cost-effective anesthesia management. Anesthesiological procedures must go hand-in-hand with the type of anesthesia selected. The prophylactic use of analgetics for desflurane/ remifentanil anesthesia should be given earlier and in higher doses than in propofol/ remifentanil anesthesia. The prophylactic use of antiemetics following laparoscopic procedures of long duration is indicated. Optimizing anesthesiological procedures could lead to a continuous improvement in the quality of therapeutic pathways.