Sevoflurane and propofol decrease intraocular pressure equally during non-ophthalmic surgery and recovery.
BACKGROUND
To provide good control of intraocular pressure (IOP) during anaesthesia and surgery, we conducted a study comparing the effects on IOP during maintenance and recovery of sevoflurane vs propofol anaesthesia in 33 patients (ASA I-II) undergoing elective non- ophthalmic surgery.


METHODS
Anaesthesia was induced with propofol 2 mg kg(-1), fentanyl 2 micro g kg(-1) and vecuronium 0.1 mg kg(-1). Patients were allocated randomly to receive either propofol 4-8 mg kg(-1) h(-1) (group P; n=16) or 1.5-2.5 vol% sevoflurane (group S; n=17) for maintenance of anaesthesia. Fentanyl 2-4 micro g kg(-1) was added if necessary. The lungs were ventilated with 50% air in oxygen. Blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and end-tidal carbon dioxide were measured before and throughout anaesthesia and in the recovery room. IOP was determined with applanation tonometry (Perkins) by one ophthalmologist blinded to the anaesthetic technique.


RESULTS
There was a significant decrease in IOP after induction and during maintenance of anaesthesia in both groups. No significant differences in IOP between the two groups was found.


CONCLUSIONS
Sevoflurane maintains the IOP at an equally reduced level compared with propofol.
Sator-Katzenschlager
S
S
Department of Anaesthesiology and General Intensive Care A, University of Vienna, Austria.
Deusch
E
E
Dolezal
S
S
Michalek-Sauberer
A
A
Grubmüller
R
R
Heinze
G
G
Wedrich
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D015742:Propofol