[Fentanyl vs alfentanil anesthesia for in vitro fertilization]

In a prospective double-blind study, 36 women undergoing ultrasonically guided oocyte retrieval for in vitro fertilization (IVF) were examined. Anesthesia in 19 was based on alfentanil, up to 0.025 mg/kg and in 17, fentanyl, 0.0025 mg/kg. There were no significant differences between groups with regard to age, weight, duration of procedure and pregnancy rate. There were no complications aside from nausea and vomiting. Amnesia for the puncture and analgesia were always perfect. Induction was significantly shorter for alfentanil, 1.3 +/- 0.7 min, than for fentanyl, 3.4 +/- 2.2 (p less than 0.01). All who received fentanyl were drowsy at the end of the procedure, while those in the alfentanil group were fully awake and able to move from operating table to stretcher with minimal help. We therefore recommend alfentanil as the base for anesthesia for IVF.