Intravenous anaesthesia for minor surgery. A comparison of etomidate or Althesin with fentanyl and alfentanil.

Abstract

Eighty patients undergoing minor surgical procedures entered a randomized, double-blind, between-patient comparison of fentanyl or alfentanil, with etomidate or Althesin for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia. Patients were more likely to feel pain on injection when anaesthesia was induced using etomidate or fentanyl, than when Althesin or alfentanil were given. There was no difference between the four groups in respect of the ease of maintenance of anaesthesia. Recovery of consciousness was significantly faster in the patients who received alfentanil than in those who received fentanyl. Overall, alfentanil with Althesin was the best combination studied.