[Propofol versus propanidid for the conduction of suspension laryngoscopy]

Forty patients who where to undergo suspension laryngoscopy were randomly assigned to two groups, the first receiving 1 microgram . kg-1 fentanyl and a bolus of 2.5 mg . kg-1 propofol followed by 5 to 10 mg . kg-1 . h-1 propofol infusion, and the second 1 microgram . kg-1 fentanyl and 0.2 mg . kg-1 flunitrazepam with 8 mg . kg-1 propanidid in a bolus followed by 40 to 50 mg . kg-1 propanidid infusion. The following parameters were studied: length of apnoea, quality of anaesthesia, the time between stopping giving the anaesthetic and the moment when the patient opens the eyes, gives his name and date of birth, the heart rate, the systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressures, blood gases, before induction, during suspension and at stopping the infusion. Anaesthetic quality was the same for both protocols, and the variations of the haemodynamic parameters were very similar for both groups. Apnoea lasted twice as long with propofol as with the flunitrazepam-propanidid association (p less than 0.001), whereas recovery was twice as quick (p less than 0.001). This seemed to confirm that propofol is better indicated for this type of surgery than the previously used flunitrazepam-propanidid association.