A Small Dose of Butorphanol Prevents Sufentanil-induced Cough During General Anesthesia Induction

This study aimed to evaluate the suppressive effects of a small dose of butorphanol on sufentanil-induced cough during general anesthesia induction.

120 patients who were scheduled for elective maxillofacial surgery of American Society of Anesthesiologists I∼II, aged 18∼65 years were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 40). Patients received butorphanol 0.1 mg (group I), 1 mg (group II) or an equal volume of 0.9% normal saline (group III) 5 seconds right before sufentanil bolus (0.5ug/kg). Sufentanil was diluted into 5ug/mL and administrated within 5 seconds. The incidence and reflex degree of cough in all groups were evaluated within 2 minutes after the injection of sufentanil during anesthesia induction. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded at T0 (before the injection of butorphanol or normal saline), T1 (before the injection of sufentanil) and T2 (2 minutes after sufentanil injection).

The HR and MAP values were no significant difference among the 3 groups at the same observation point. In group II, the HR decreased significantly at T2 compared with T0 and T1 (P <0.05, T2 VS T0, T1). None of the patients in group I and group II had cough, and 33 patients in group III developed cough, of which 12.5% were mild, 40% were moderate, and 30% were severe.

The results of present study suggest that a small dose of butorphanol 0.1 mg can prevent sufentanil-induced cough and ensure a relatively stable hemodynamic state during general anesthesia induction.