A comparison of two different regimens of total intravenous anesthesia for transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of Bispectral index (BIS)-guided total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with fentanyl-propofol vs. remifentanil-propofol on recovery time, total propofol consumption, length of postanesthesia care unit (PACU) stay, total hospital stay, postoperative pain and side effects in patients undergoing TUGOR.Study designProspective randomized observer-blinded study. The study included 60 patients that were scheduled to undergo TUGOR under BIS-guided TIVA. They were invited to enroll in the study during the period from November 2009 to August 2011 at TAIBA Hospital in Kuwait. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups of 30 patients each: general anesthesia with fentanyl and propofol (group I) or general anesthesia with remifentanil and propofol (group II). The primary outcomes of this study were recovery time and the length of PACU stay.ResultsPatients in group II had significantly rapid recovery, shorter PACU stay (23.5 ± 1.73 vs. 27.1 ± 1.43 min; P < 0.01), less amount of total propofol consumption, less total hospital stay and higher patient satisfaction with analgesia and sedation compared to patients in group I with no difference in intraoperative hemodynamic parameters, postoperative VAS scores of pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting; and without affecting IVF outcomes.ConclusionBIS-guided total intravenous anesthesia with remifentanil and propofol appears to be a safe and an effective regimen for patients undergoing TUGOR.