Recovery times following induction of anaesthesia with propofol, methohexitone, enflurane or thiopentone in children

Summary We have measured the times to early recovery in forty children aged 3‐14 years in whom anaesthesia was induced by intravenous propofol, methohexitone, thiopentone or inhalation of enflurane. Maintenance anaesthesia consisted of inhalation of nitrous oxide, oxygen and enflurane via a face mask. Early recovery, assessed by the Steward recovery score, was significantly faster after propofol, methohexitone or inhalation of enflurane compared with thiopentone (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in recovery times between propofol, methohexitone or enflurane. We conclude that the use of propofol to induce anaesthesia does not hasten recovery in children undergoing short day‐case procedures compared with methohexitone or inhalation of enflurane.