[Recovery time after general anesthesia with propofol administered in continuous infusion or with isoflurane]

The recovery time after Propofol-Tiva (P) or Isoflurane-anesthesia (I) for elective plastic surgery was studied by the Authors in two series of patients: 60 in group P, 60 in group I. All patients received a standard premedication and induction-anesthesia (premedication: Atropine 0.005 mg/kg i.m.; induction: Fentanyl 2.1 micrograms/kg+Propofol 2.5 mg/kg i.m. and Succinylcholine 1 mg/kg i.v. for tracheal intubation) and a different maintenance (group P received an infusion of 12 mg/kg/h for 10 min, 9 mg/kg/h for the next 10 min and 6 mg/kg/h thereafter+Fentanyl 1.4 micrograms/kg/h, group I clinically appropriate inspired concentration of Isoflurane and both Fentanyl-bolus at demand). They were ventilated mechanically with air and oxygen mixture (FiO2 = 0.3) to maintain normal blood-oxygen tension and normocarbia. The results showed that the recovery time was significantly shorter in the group P than in the group I and that Propofol-Tiva is accompanied by a more rapid recovery than Isoflurane-anesthesia.