[Comparison of propofol and propanidid administered at a constant rate]

So as to compare the anaesthesia obtained using propofol with that obtained using propanidid, 40 ASA I patients, aged between 18 and 50 years, who were to undergo elective orthopaedic or plastic surgery lasting more than 60 min, were randomly divided into two equal groups, one receiving propofol (PF) and the other propanidid (PD). All the patients received 0.5 mg atropine, 100 mg pethidine and 7.5 mg droperidol (10 mg if weight greater than 60 kg) intramuscularly 45 min before induction. Patients in group PF were then given 2 mg.kg-1 propofol over 1 min and 0.9 microgram.kg-1 fentanyl over 3 min, followed by a constant rate infusion of 5 mg.kg-1.h-1 propofol and 3 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 fentanyl. For PD patients, the doses of fentanyl were identical; they were given 10.6 mg.kg-1 propanidid over 3 min for induction, and 37 mg.kg-1.h-1 for maintenance. All the patients were intubated and ventilated mechanically. The usual anaesthetic parameters were monitored at induction, during surgery, and during recovery. Consciousness was lost more quickly with propofol (p less than 0.05), but the corneal reflex returned more rapidly in group PD (p less than 0.02). The time required for a full return to normal consciousness was identical in both groups. The fall, during induction, and the increase, during recovery, of Pasys were greater in group PD (p less than 0.05 and less than 0.001 respectively). Padia and heart rate were lower in group PF after the 30th min (p less than 0.05 and less than 0.01 respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)