Effect of Normal Saline administration on circulation stability during general anesthesia induction with propofol in gynecological procedures - Randomised-controlled study

Background and objectiveTo compare the effect of prophylactic administration of normal saline against the hypotensive effect of propofol in female patients booked for gynecological procedures.MethodSixty nine ASA (I, II) patients were randomly allocated into two groups, group 1 received 5 mL.kg-1 of 0.9% normal saline 10 minutes before induction, whereas group 2 received nothing (control). Anesthesia was induced with propofol and fentanyl then maintained with propofol and remifentanil. We measured hemodynamic variables pre and post general anesthesia induction.ResultsBoth groups had significant drops in post induction mean arterial blood pressure (P < 0.001). Also both groups had significant drops in post induction heart rate ((P < 0.02 in sample group and P < 0.001 in control group), and 35% of patients in the control group had more than 25% drop in the pre induction mean arterial blood pressure, compared with only 17% of patients in the saline group (P < 0.04).ConclusionThe prophylactic administration of normal saline could decrease the percentage of patients who had a significant drop in their blood pressure after propofol induction of general anesthesia.