Midazolam/fentanyl vs. propofol/remifentanil in immediate postoperative with short-term mechanical ventilation.

Objectives: To compare between 2 sedoanalgesia regimes, the time from withdrawal of the medication until the patient wakes up and until extubation.

Methodology: Observational study on pediatric patients after elective surgery that needed mechanical ventilation for a period maximum to 72 h. We compared two independent groups of patients: group A: patients collected prospectively who received sedoanalgesia with propofof-remifentanil and group B: patients who received midazolam-fentanyl collected retrospectively by reviewing medical records and database of the unit. The main variables studied were: Age, weight, sex, interventions type, sedoanalgesia scales, drugs dosages, time from withdrawal of medication to awakening and extubation, and adverse effects.

Results: We collected 82 patients, 43 in group A and 39 in group B. Age (arithmetical mean ± standard deviation of patients were 49 ± 65 months, weight 17 ± 16 kg. Mechanical ventilation medium time was 22 h (3-72), wake-up time from withdrawal after removing sedoanalgesia was of 11,8 ± 10,6 min group A and 137,3 ± 45 min group B (P < 0.001), extubation time after removing sedoanalgesia was of 24 ± 21 min group A and 230 ± 102 min group B (P < 0.001). Adverse effects were found in 10.5% of patients group A (7.9% agitation, 2.6% bradycardia), and 13% of patients group B (respiratrory depression after extubation) P = 0,572.

Conclusions: Patients treated with propofol-remifentanil have significantly shorter times to wake up, extubation and withdrawal from mechanical ventilation after stopping the medication. In the midazolam-fentanyl group, respiratory depression was more frequent, although the percentage of adverse effects were similar in both groups. Both the combination of propofol-remifentanil and midazolam-fentanyl appear to be effective as a sedative-analgesic regimen for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation after surgery.