THE EFFECTS OF PROPOFOL ON LARYNGEAL REACTIVITY AND THE HEMODYNAMIC-RESPONSE TO LARYNGEAL MASK INSERTION

The ease of the insertion of laryngeal mask and the haemodynamic response were assessed 2 min after induction of anaesthesia with either propofol 2.5 mg kg(-1) or thiopentone 4.0 mg kg(-1) in 38 ASA premedicated patients. The inserting conditions scored as excellent, good, poor and unable to insert were significantly better with propofol than with thiopentone (P<0.001). Insertion of the laryngeal mask was followed by a transient but significant increase in both systolic (P<0.05) and diastolic (P<0.01) arterial pressure in the thiopentone group; there was no comparable response in the propofol group. The heart rate varied little from baseline in both groups.