The effectiveness of benzodiazepines and narcotics in outpatient surgery

In a prospective study of 211 outpatients undergoing cosmetic surgical procedures under local anesthesia supplemented with intravenous diazepam and morphine, patient pain response to the local anesthetic infiltration was graded and the recall of the operative experience was assessed. One hundred and fifty-five patients (73%) had either no pain response or a mild response, 41 (19%) had a moderate response, and 15 (7%) had a severe response. One hundred and eighty-seven patients (88%) had total amnesia for the local anesthetic infiltration and the operative procedure, and 183 (87%) could not recall pain, but had recall of events during surgery. There were no untoward drug reactions nor episodes of cardiorespiratory depression. We conclude that intravenous diazepam with or without intravenous morphine following triazolam, morphine, and premethazine premedication is a safe and effective regimen for outpatient surgery.