Propofol infusion vs thiopentone/isoflurane anaesthesia for prominent ear correction in children

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication following prominent ear correction surgery in children.
• General anesthesia is frequently employed for pediatric otologic procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the incidence of PONV in children undergoing prominent ear correction using propofol infusion anesthesia versus thiopentone induction with isoflurane maintenance.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, single-blind study involving 30 children (aged 4-14 years) randomly assigned to two anesthesia groups.
• Both groups received nitrous oxide supplementation and local ear infiltration with bupivacaine, adrenaline, and hyaluronidase.
• Mechanical ventilation was used for all participants.

Main Results:

• The incidence of nausea was significantly lower in the propofol group (1/15) compared to the thiopentone/isoflurane group (8/15) (P = 0.005).
• Vomiting occurred in 3 children in the propofol group versus 10 in the thiopentone/isoflurane group (P = 0.01).
• No significant difference was observed in the number of children discharged on the day of surgery between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Propofol infusion anesthesia is associated with a lower incidence of PONV in pediatric patients undergoing prominent ear correction compared to traditional thiopentone/isoflurane anesthesia.
• This suggests propofol may be a preferred anesthetic agent for reducing PONV in this specific pediatric surgical population.