Propanidid-a new nqn-barbiturate intravenous anaesthetic

Abstract

Experience gained from the use of Propanidid in fifty D. & C.'s would indicate that the drug is a rapid-acting induction agent. When it is also used to supplement nitrous oxide anaesthesia, undesirable side-effects such as rigidity, coughign, hiccough, phonation, and uncontrollable movement of the patient occur in a sufficiently large percentage of cases to make this an undesirable anaesthetic technique. There is no evidenee that the side-effects are influenced by the timing of the premeditation, but it would appear that if no oral airway is inserted, the percentage of smooth anaesthetics can be increased. While this possibility was not further explored, it would seem that many of the undesirable manifestations in this series could have been controlled by the addition to nitrous oxide of a more potent inhalation anaesthetic and/or the administration of a short-acting muscle relaxant. In the latter case however, the supplemental doses of Propanidid would not have been required in the first place, except perhaps early during maintenance to allow a smooth transition from induction. It is feared that the short effect of a single induction dose of Propanidid might have made such transition difficult. Our comparisons indicate that if rapid awakening from a short anaesthetic is desirable and anaesthesia is to be maintained with nitrous oxide and a supplement of an intravenous anaesthetic, then methohexital would be a preferrable choice. Because of the anticipated difficulty of transition from induction to maintenance for longer procedures when the prolonged action of thiopental is no disadvantage, Propanidid cannot be considered superior to thiopental for induction purposes in general. One further grave disadvantage of the agent is the high incidence of postoperative nausea and emesis if it is used as it was in this series. © 1965 Canadian Anesthesiologists.