NITROUS-OXIDE DOES NOT INFLUENCE OPERATING-CONDITIONS OR POSTOPERATIVE COURSE IN COLONIC SURGERY

We studied 150 patients undergoing elective colonic surgery; they were allocated randomly to undergo artificial ventilation with either air-oxygen or nitrous oxide-oxygen during surgery. Eleven patients were excluded. Preoperative management, surgery and postoperative analgesia were similar in both groups. Anaesthesia included propofol by infusion, pancuronium and fentanyl 3 mu g kg(-1) h(-1) The air-oxygen group required a continuous infusion of propofol of 4-6 mg kg(-1) h(-1) whereas the nitrous oxide-oxygen group required only 1-2 mg kg(-1) h(-1). There were no differences between the groups in duration of anaesthesia, distension of the bowel and postoperative bowel function. The postoperative hospital stay was similar for both groups.