Comparison of Two Anesthetic Regimens on Extubation Time and Postoperative Recovery in Children Undergoing Ambulatory Adenoidectomy: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Purpose: This aim of this study was to compare two anesthetic regimens in terms of extubation time and postoperative recovery in children undergoing ambulatory adenoidectomy.

Design: A retrospective cohort study with propensity score matching.

Methods: The medical charts of 452 children aged between 3 and 8 years undergoing ambulatory adenoidectomy were retrieved for analysis, of which 438 were eligible to participate in this study. A majority (n = 327) were children exposed to a conventional propofol-pronounced general anesthetic regimen (high-dose propofol plus low-dose remifentanil, labeled as group P), while n = 111 were administered a modified remifentanil-pronounced anesthetic regimen (low-dose propofol plus high-dose remifentanil, namely group R). Propensity score matching was employed to adjust for confounders, resulting in 69 matched patients in each group. The primary endpoint of this study was extubation time. The secondary endpoints were total intraoperative fluid volume, length of stay in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), postoperative pain rating, the incidence of emergence agitation, nausea and vomiting, as well as the level of consciousness (fully awake or waking by gentle patting) when transferred out of PACU, and any major complications (wound bleeding, reintubation, readmission, and overnight stay).

Findings: No major complications were observed in both groups. Compared to group P, group R had significantly shorter extubation time (8.2 ± 1.4 minutes vs 13.3 ± 2.4 minutes, P < .001), shorter length of stay in the PACU (14.1 ± 3.1 minutes vs 20.2 ± 3.4 minutes, P < .001), and a higher proportion of cases being fully awake when transferred out of the PACU (91% vs 46%, P < .001). Lastly, the pain rating, frequency of oropharyngeal airway usage, incidence of emergence agitation, and nausea and vomiting were comparable between the two groups (P > .05 for all).

Conclusions: Remifentanil-pronounced anesthesia was superior to propofol-pronounced anesthesia in children undergoing ambulatory adenoidectomy, given that the former was associated with a faster recovery time from anesthesia without jeopardizing patient safety.

Keywords: adenoidectomy; ambulatory surgery; bed turnover; children.