Butorphanol compared with fentanyl in general anaesthesia for ambulatory laparoscopy

Abstract

Butorphanol was compared with fentanyl as the narcotic component of general anaesthesia for ambulatory laparoscopic surgery. This doubleblind, randomized study enrolled 60 healthy women who received equianalgesic doses of fentanyl 1 μg · kg-1 (F, n = 30) or butorphanol 20 μg · kg-1 (B, n = 30) prior to induction of anaesthesia. Tracheal anaesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide/oxygen, isoflurane, and succinylcholine by infusion, lntraoperatively, patients who received B demonstrated lower pulse rate before and after intubation (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and lower diastolic blood pressure after intubation (P < 0.01). Anesthesiologists judged the maintenance phase as satisfactory more often with B (P < 0.05). Postoperatively, there were no differences in analgesic need. No major sideeffects occurred in either group. Among minor sideeffects, patients who received B reported postoperative sedation more often, 77% vs 37% (P < 0.01), which occurred during the first 45 min of recovery (P < 0.05). Discharge times were not different. On the first postoperative day, more subjects who received B were satisfied with their anaesthesia experience (P < 0.05). Butorphanol 20 μg · kg-1 is an acceptable alternative analgesic in general anaesthesia for ambulatory laparoscopy. © 1991 Canadian Anesthesiologists.