Comparison of wakefulness with two anaesthetic regimens. Total i.v. v. balanced anaesthesia.
Fifty-five patients were assigned randomly to receive either a total i.v. anaesthetic based on a two-stage infusion of etomidate plus increments of fentanyl or a regimen based on inhaled nitrous oxide with i.v. fentanyl increments. Using the isolated forearm technique, 44% of the nitrous oxide group were found to be wakeful at some time during surgery, whereas only 7% of the etomidate group were wakeful. There was one case of awareness in the nitrous oxide group.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous; D001519:Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005045:Etomidate / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D014851:Wakefulness / Q000187:drug effects*
D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D005283:Fentanyl; D005045:Etomidate