Intravenous total anesthesia with remifentanil and fentanyl as analgesic base in elective thoracic surgery

Introduction:Maintaining adequate oxygenation during single-lung ventilation is a fundamental concern faced by the anesthesiologist during thoracic surgery; therefore, a constant search is maintained for the ideal anesthetic method that helps achieve this goal is maintained.Objectives:To evaluate the outcomes of two total intravenous anesthesia techniques with remifentanil and fentanyl as analgesic base and to identify the onset of complications during surgery.Methods:A prospective and quasi-experimental study was carried out at Dr. Salvador Allende Clinical-Surgical Hospital, between January 2013 and December, with 40 ASA II or III patients who required intrathoracic procedures. These were divided into two groups: A (remifentanil-propofol) and B (fentanyl-propofol). Hemodynamic variables and others of oxygenation during one-lung ventilation were studied, together with anesthetic recovery time (spontaneous ventilation, ocular opening, extubation) and postoperative analgesia.Results:There were no significant variations in the hemodynamics or oxygenation of patients with the use of both anesthetic techniques; however, awakening and short-term postoperative recovery was better in group A. Postoperative pain intensity, based on the analogue-visual scale, was lower in group B.Conclusion:Both techniques are effective for thoracic surgical procedures, with minimal effect in hemodynamics and oxygenation parameters. Keywords: intravenous total anesthesia; remifentanil; fentanyl.