Comparison of alfentanil with fentanyl for outpatient anesthesia

Abstract

Alfentanil appears to offer some clinically significant advantages over fentanyl as a supplement to thiopental and nitrous oxide during outpatient anesthesia. The use of a continuous infusion (vs. intermittent injection) of alfentanil allows the anesthetist to titrate the dose of drug with greater precision and thereby minimize the dosage requirement. Unfortunately, postoperative nausea and vomiting associated with the use of alfentanil (and fentanyl) could delay discharge from the outpatient facility. Further studies comparing alfentanil infusions with volatile anesthetics (when used as adjuvants to nitrous oxide) are needed to define the role for this potent, rapid, and short-acting opioid analgesic in outpatient anesthesia.