[Successful anesthetic management of two high-risk elderly patients using propofol-remifentanil]

This report deals with anesthetic management using remifentanil in high-risk elderly patients with many complications such as arteriosclerosis and obstructive lung disease other than the disease which was the object of operation. Case 1; an 87-year-old woman with complete left bundle branch block and aortic valve stenosis was scheduled for cholecystectomy, intestinal tract incision and gallstone extraction. Case 2; a 79-year-old woman with obstructive lung disease was scheduled for sigmoidectomy and cholecystectomy. The use of remifentanil in anesthetic management to control the blood pressure and the pulse, was useful. They were extubated within 30 minutes after the operation. They received epidural anesthesia 30 minutes before the remifentanil discontinuance. After remifentanil is discontinued, they had little pain. Elderly patients considered at high-risk were treated under total intravenous anesthesia with remifentanil and propofol.