Biomaterial Database

Recovery after anaesthesia with alfentanil or halothane. 1985

D P Cartwright

Seventy-three patients were studied during and after anaesthesia with either alfentanil or halothane for surgical procedures of short duration. The procedures were minor gynaecological or minor urological procedures, involving males and females between the ages of 21 and 86 years. After pre-medication with lorazepam, anaesthesia was induced with methohexitone and continued with nitrous oxide and oxygen, supplemented with halothane (34 patients) or alfentanil (39 patients). Anaesthesia was generally smooth and uncomplicated except that at induction 22 of the patients receiving alfentanil became apnoeic for longer than 30 seconds. Spontaneous respiration resumed without the need for naloxone in any patients. After surgery, recovery of consciousness was significantly more rapid after alfentanil than after halothane (5.6 minutes versus 10.1 minutes). This study demonstrates that alfentanil can be a suitable alternative to conventional general anaesthesia for short cases and may have a useful place when rapid recovery and turnover of cases is important.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011184	Postoperative Period	The period following a surgical operation.	Period, Postoperative,Periods, Postoperative,Postoperative Periods
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D004305	Dose-Response Relationship, Drug	The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug.	Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D004334	Drug Administration Schedule	Time schedule for administration of a drug in order to achieve optimum effectiveness and convenience.	Administration Schedule, Drug,Administration Schedules, Drug,Drug Administration Schedules,Schedule, Drug Administration,Schedules, Drug Administration
D005260	Female		Females
D005283	Fentanyl	A potent narcotic analgesic, abuse of which leads to habituation or addiction. It is primarily a mu-opioid agonist. Fentanyl is also used as an adjunct to general anesthetics, and as an anesthetic for induction and maintenance. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p1078)	Phentanyl,Duragesic,Durogesic,Fentanest,Fentanyl Citrate,Fentora,R-4263,Sublimaze,Transmucosal Oral Fentanyl Citrate,R 4263,R4263
D006221	Halothane	A nonflammable, halogenated, hydrocarbon anesthetic that provides relatively rapid induction with little or no excitement. Analgesia may not be adequate. NITROUS OXIDE is often given concomitantly. Because halothane may not produce sufficient muscle relaxation, supplemental neuromuscular blocking agents may be required. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual, 1994, p178)	1,1,1-Trifluoro-2-Chloro-2-Bromoethane,Fluothane,Ftorotan,Narcotan
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man