Sevoflurane and propofol decrease intraocular pressure equally during non‐ophthalmic surgery and recovery

• Published in: British journal of anaesthesia : BJA Vol. 89; no. 5; pp. 764 - 766
• Main Authors: Sator‐Katzenschlager, S., Deusch, E., Dolezal, S., Michalek‐Sauberer, A., Grubmüller, R., Heinze, G., Wedrich, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.11.2002; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; anaesthetics i.v; anaesthetics volatile; analgesics opioid; Analysis of Variance; Anesthesia Recovery Period; Anesthetics, Inhalation - pharmacology; Anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - drug effects; eye; Female; fentanyl; Heart Rate - drug effects; Humans; intraocular pressure; Intraocular Pressure - drug effects; Male; Medical sciences; Methyl Ethers - pharmacology; Middle Aged; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; propofol; Propofol - pharmacology; sevoflurane; Single-Blind Method; anaesthetics i.v., propofol; anaesthetics volatile, sevoflurane; analgesics opioid, fentanyl; eye, intraocular pressure; Volatile compound; Human; analgesics opioid, fentanyl; anaesthetics volatile, sevoflurane; General anesthesia; Sevoflurane; General anesthetic; eye, intraocular pressure; anaesthetics i.v., propofol; Propofol; Comparative study; Halogen Organic compounds; Intraocular pressure
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/89.5.764

Background. To provide good control of intraocular pressure (IOP) during anaesthesia and surgery, we conducted a study comparing the effects on IOP during maintenance and recovery of sevoflurane vs propofol anaesthesia in 33 patients (ASA I–II) undergoing elective non‐ ophthalmic surgery. Methods. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol 2 mg kg–1, fentanyl 2 µg kg–1 and vecuronium 0.1 mg kg–1. Patients were allocated randomly to receive either propofol 4–8 mg kg–1 h–1 (group P; n=16) or 1.5–2.5 vol% sevoflurane (group S; n=17) for maintenance of anaesthesia. Fentanyl 2–4 µg kg–1 was added if necessary. The lungs were ventilated with 50% air in oxygen. Blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and end‐tidal carbon dioxide were measured before and throughout anaesthesia and in the recovery room. IOP was determined with applanation tonometry (Perkins) by one ophthalmologist blinded to the anaesthetic technique. Results. There was a significant decrease in IOP after induction and during maintenance of anaesthesia in both groups. No significant differences in IOP between the two groups was found. Conclusion. Sevoflurane maintains the IOP at an equally reduced level compared with propofol. Br J Anaesth 2002; 89: 764–6