Recovery of psychomotor function after total intravenous anesthesia with remifentanil–propofol or fentanyl–propofol

Purpose Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with propofol combined with remifentanil or fentanyl has commonly been used to achieve general anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to examine recovery of psychomotor function, by use of the Trieger dot test, after TIVA with remifentanil–propofol or with fentanyl–propofol. Methods Forty patients were randomly divided into two groups of 20, to receive TIVA with either remifentanil–propofol (group R) or fentanyl–propofol (group F). Anesthesia was induced by intravenous injection of propofol. In group R, remifentanil at 0.3 μg/kg/min was infused continuously during surgery. In group F, 3 μg/kg fentanyl was injected as an initial dose and 1 μg/kg fentanyl was administered intravenously every 30 min during surgery. Psychomotor function, as measured by the Trieger dot test, was evaluated before anesthesia and 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 min after the end of TIVA. Results From assessment of the Trieger dot test, the number of dots missed in group R from 30 to 120 min after the end of TIVA was significantly lower than in group F. The maximum distance of dots missed in group R from 30 to 120 min after the end of TIVA was significantly shorter than in group F. The average distance of dots missed in group R from 30 to 120 min after the end of TIVA was significantly shorter than in group F. Conclusion Recovery of psychomotor function in TIVA with remifentanil–propofol is faster than that in TIVA with fentanyl–propofol.