title: Propofol or sevoflurane for laryngeal mask airway insertion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sevoflurane is a volatile anesthetic agent, which combines rapid, smooth inhalational induction of anesthesia with rapid recovery, making it particularly suitable for day case anesthesia. The laryngeal mask airway is often also used in ambulatory anesthesia, with intravenous propofol being the agent of choice for its insertion. Our objective was to compare the conditions for laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion obtained by modified vital capacity breath sevoflurane inhalational induction of anesthesia with propofol intravenous induction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight patients, aged 18-65 yr, ASA I-II, undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgery were randomized into two groups in a prospective, single-blind study. Patients in Group P (n=44) received 2.5 mg x kg(-1) propofol i.v. and in Group S (n=44) received sevoflurane 8% in nitrous oxide 50% and oxygen. Ventilation was not assisted. Laryngeal mask airway insertion was attempted at one minute intervals from loss of both verbal response and eyelash reflex, by an anesthesiologist unaware of the induction technique. Complications, such as coughing and head movement, were also noted at each attempt.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean time to successful LMA insertion was 1.3 (1-3) min in P and 2.2 (1-3) min in S, P < 0.05. Eleven patients in Group P, (25%) required additional propofol compared with four (9%) in S, P < 0.05. Incidence of complications was similar in both groups and by 3 min, LMA was successfully inserted in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modified vital capacity breath inhalational induction with sevoflurane 8% is efficient for LMA insertion in most cases, but takes slightly longer than propofol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Buggy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scanlon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017214:Laryngeal Masks / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015742:Propofol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D015742:Propofol