Abstract
Background:
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pain are common in neurosurgery patients' and may involve a potential risk of neurological damage. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a propofol infusion at the end of anaesthesia might decrease patients' postoperative nausea (PON) and shortening time to extubation compared to pure isoflurane anaesthesia.
Methods:
Randomized controlled clinical trial. In total, 73 ASA class 1–2 patients were randomized to receive either isoflurane- (Group C) or propofol anaesthesia (Group P), who underwent surgery with intracranial procedures with an expected time of anaesthesia of at least 4 hours. The patients' demographic data, intraoperative and postoperative opioid administration, time to extubation, the rate of PON and pain and frequency of doses for PON and pain were recorded and analysed.
Result:
Overall time of anaesthesia (324 ± 73 vs 347 ± 11minuter) and time to extubation (16 ± 9 vs 18 ± 11minuter) did not differ significantly between the groups C and P, respectively. The results over time between the groups C and P of PON (VAS md 0, IQR 0–0 vs. md 0, IQR 0–0) and pain scores (md 0–2, IQR 0–4 vs. 0–2, IQR 0–4.25) was not significant.
Conclusion:
Propofol infusion at the end of neurosurgery does not seem to reduce PON or extubation times compared to pure isoflurane anaesthesia.