Butorphanol tartrate: an intravenous analgesic for outpatient surgery

Many surgical procedures in otolaryngology, particularly those in the areas of facial plastic surgery, are best performed under a local anesthetic. The majority of these procedures may be done on an outpatient basis and require an intravenous analgesic of some form. This analgesic must be safe, predictable, easy to administer, have a rapid onset, and provide good amnesia. A short recovery period is imperative. Diazepam has been widely used in the outpatient setting, since it generally fulfills the requirements listed. However, the recovery time is often prolonged and unpleasant for the patient. Butorphanol tartrate, a synthetic narcotic, provides rapid analgesia in an intravenous dose, fulfills the other requirements for an analgesic agent suitable for outpatient use, and has a relatively short duration. Butorphanol tartrate has been used in an intravenous drip form for outpatient surgical procedures for the past 18 months. Its use in 400 cases representing a broad spectrum of facial plastic procedures has been closely monitored in both the operative and postoperative periods and the results tabulated. We have found butorphanol tartrate to be an excellent agent for local anesthetic procedures in the outpatient setting.