Maintenance and recovery characteristics after sevoflurane or propofol during ambulatory surgery in children with epidural blockade

Purpose: To compare the maintenance and recovery characteristics after sevoflurane with those after propofol in children with epidural blockade. Methods: Fifty unpremedicated, children ASA I-II, 2 - 8 yr of age, scheduled for elective urological surgery as out-patients, were randomly allocated to receive either: I) sevoflurane for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia or 2) propofol for induction (2-3 mg.kg(-1) iv) and for maintenance (5-10 mg.kg(-1).hr(-1) iv). All children received N2O 70% in oxygen before induction and throughout the anaesthetic, rocuronium for neuromuscular blockade and a lumbar or caudal epidural block before incision. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), recovery times and ail side effects during maintenance and recovery were recorded by a blinded observer. Adverse events during the first 24 hr were also recorded. Results: Mean HR increased 5-10% after induction in both groups reaching a maximum by five minutes. Heart rate returned to baseline by skin incision in the sevoflurane group and by IO min after induction in the propofol group. During maintenance, HR decreased by 10-20% below baseline values by 20 min in the propofol group only. where it remained for the remainder of the anaesthetic. Similarly SEP increased by 10% after induction of anaesthesia in both groups, but returned to baseline by 10 min. Light anaesthesia occurred in four (16%) children, all in the propofol group. Emergence and recovery indices were similar in the two groups. Discussion: Sevoflurane and propofol exhibit similar maintenance and recovery profiles when combined with epidural analgesia in children undergoing ambulatory surgery.