Comparison of eltanolone and thiopental in anaesthesia for termination of pregnancy

This study was presented in part at the 22nd meeting of the Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiologists in Kuopio, Finland, in June, 1993. Eltanolone, a new steroid hypnotic, was compared to thiopental in short anaesthesia. Sixty unp re medicated, ASA 1—2 women were randomized to receive eltanolone 0.6 (group El) or 0.8 mg . kg ‐1 (group E2) or thiopental 4 mg . kg ‐1 (group T) for induction of anaesthesia. One minute before induction glyco‐pyrrolate 0.2 mg and alfentanil 15 μg . kg ‐1 i.v. were administered. If induction failed, additional boluses of the test drug were given. Anaesthesia was maintained with 67% nitrous oxide in oxygen, and additional bolus doses of the test drug were given in a standardized fashion, if needed. Recovery was assessed by a research nurse blinded to the agent used. Mean±s.d. induction doss were 0.7±0.1 mg . kg ‐1 (group E1), 0.8±0.1 mg . kg ‐1 (group E2) and 4.0±0.0 mg . kg ‐1 (group T). Induction time was prolonged in the group E1 compared to the other two groups ( P <0.05). Side effects were few in all groups, but involuntary muscle movements or hypertonus occurred in 23% of the patients in the eltanolone and in 3% in the thiopental groups (n.s.). Early recovery (eye opening, orientation and sitting) was slower in both eltanolone groups compared to the thiopental group ( P <0.01). No differences between the groups were found in toleration of oral fluids, walking, voiding, postoperative analgesic requirements or postoperative nausea and vomiting. Psychomotor recovery, as assessed by the Maddox Wing and the Digit Symbol Substitution tests was similar between the groups. Home readiness was achieved in 78 min (34–101 min), 90 min (29–181 min), and 84 min (36–111 min) in the groups E1, E2 and T, respectively [median (range)] (n.s.) Early recovery was faster after thiopental than eltanolone, but no differences between the groups regarding home readiness or the psychomotor tests were found.