thiopental and Pruritus

We examined the efficacy of intraoperative propofol administration to prevent pruritus induced by epidural morphine.. Seventy patients ASA I-II undergoing combined epidural and general anaesthesia for hysterectomy were randomly assigned to two groups, Group P where anaesthesia was induced with propofol and fentanyl and maintained with propofol-nitrous oxide and Group S in which anaesthesia was induced with thiopental and fentanyl and maintained with sevoflurane-nitrous oxide. All patients received a ropivacaine epidural bolus with 3 mg morphine 1 h before the end of surgery. The incidence and severity of pruritus were evaluated every 4 h for the first 12 h postoperatively by blinded observers.. The total incidence of pruritus was significantly higher (P = 0.024) in Group S (65.6%) compared to Group P (29%) between 4 and 8 h postoperatively. There were also significantly more patients (P = 0.03) reporting severe pruritus in Group S (22%) compared to Group P (0).. Propofol-based general anaesthesia compared to thiopental-sevoflurane-based anaesthesia reduces the incidence and severity of pruritus induced by a single injection of 3 mg epidural morphine with ropivacaine.

Topics: Analgesia, Epidural; Analgesics, Opioid; Anesthesia, General; Anesthetics, Inhalation; Anesthetics, Intravenous; Elective Surgical Procedures; Female; Fentanyl; Humans; Hysterectomy; Intraoperative Care; Methyl Ethers; Middle Aged; Morphine; Nitrous Oxide; Postoperative Complications; Propofol; Pruritus; Severity of Illness Index; Sevoflurane; Thiopental; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome