Nalbuphine: a supplement to isoflurane and enflurane anaesthesia

A retrospective study was carried out to review the intra-operative use of nalbuphine at the average dose of 1.5 mg/kg as a supplement to isoflurane and enflurane in balanced anaesthesia in 108 surgical patients. Intra-operative cardiovascular stability and the quality of emergence were examined. The amount of halogenated anaesthetic used was compared to the theoretical amount that would have been needed in the absence of nalbuphine. In 90% to 95% of patients, blood pressures remained within 20% of baseline for the duration of anaesthesia. At emergence, 80% of patients had no pain. Nalbuphine appeared to reduce halogenated anaesthetic requirements by approximately 50%. These promising results for the intraoperative use of nalbuphine need to be confirmed by controlled prospective studies.