A STUDY ON COMPARISON OF INTRAVENOUS BUTORPHANOL WITH INTRAVENOUS FENTANYL FOR PREMEDICATION IN GENERAL ANESTHESIA

Abstract

Background: An ideal premedicant drug is anxiolytic, sedative, amnesic, reduces salivary and respiratory tract secretions, analgesic as well as residual post-operative analgesia. The present study was undertaken to compare the effects of intravenous butorphanol and intravenous fentanyl as a premedicant drug in general anesthesia.

Methodology: A comparative study between butorphanol and fentanyl was conducted in 100 patients of either sex at Government Medical College, Surat who belong to ASA physical status I or II, in the age group of 18-65 years. Post-operatively respiratory rate, tidal volume, sedation score, oxygen saturation and assessment of pain score was done in the recovery room.

Results: When comparing both the groups the patients in the butorphanol group were found to be more sedated upto 60 minutes postoperatively. The difference between the two was statistically significant (p<0.001). In group F, 82% patients had analgesia for 60-120 minutes while remaining 18% of patients had analgesia for 121-180 minutes. In group F, 44% patients had analgesia for 121-180 minutes while 56% of patients had analgesia for 181-240 minutes. In group F, 82% patients had pain (VAS ≥5) by 30 minutes in the postoperative period whereas none of the patients in Group B had significant pain (VAS ≥5) by 30 minutes.

Conclusion: We conclude that Butorphanol 20 µg/kg gives better attenuation of the hemodynamic response, longer duration of postoperative pain relief, without producing excessive sedation and with negligible side effects in comparison with fentanyl 1 µg/kg when given intravenously as premedicant for general anesthesia.