[Current attitude of anesthesiologists and anesthesiology residents regarding total intravenous anesthesia.]

In the past, time, cost, information, training, and the evaluation of the plane of anesthesia limited the acceptance of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). The objective of this study was to determine the attitude of anesthesiologists and other anesthesiology residents regarding total intravenous anesthesia.

A questionnaire was sent to 150 anesthesiologists and 102 residents. The concordance (C) and disaccord (D) of each item were compared by z tests (consensus if p < 0.05).

There were 98 responses. The data represent the number of answers for each category. The majority of the participants agreed that the quality of the awakening stimulates the use of the TIVA (C/D = 86/8; p < 0.05); that the future depends on the development of drugs with a fast onset of action and immediate recovery (C/D = 88/5; p < 0.05); that they would like to use TIVA more often (C/D = 72/21; p < 0.05); and to have more information about TIVA (C/D = 77/14; p < 0.05). There was no agreement about the level of knowledge necessary to administer this technique when compared to inhalational anesthesia (C/D = 48/47); the majority of those who answered the questionnaire did not express any concerns with intra-surgical consciousness (C/D = 20/77; p < 0.05) but agreed that de availability of consciousness monitors would increase the use of TIVA (C/D = 64/25; p < 0.05). There was no consensus whether the need for infusion pumps (C/D = 52/40) and costs (CD = 52/39) limit its use.

The attitude regarding TIVA was predominantly positive. There was no consensus on the influence of the level of knowledge, of the infusion pumps, and of the costs on the use of TIVA.