Effects of fentanyl or alfentanil as supplement to propofol anaesthesia for termination of pregnancy

One hundred and twenty patients undergoing early legal termination of pregnancy by dilatation and suction curettage before 12 weeks of pregnancy were randomly allocated to receive total intravenous propofol anaesthesia either alone or supplemented with fentanyl 1.5 micrograms.kg-1 or alfentanil 15 micrograms.kg-1. Supplementation with fentanyl or alfentanil improved operating conditions (P < 0.01), reduced total propofol requirements (P < 0.01) and reduced postoperative pain intensity (P < 0.05). Immediate recovery, assessed by the time patients took to open the eyes, to give correct date of birth and by co-operation score, was more rapid in the alfentanil group compared to the control group (P < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference between the alfentanil and fentanyl groups. The three anaesthetic techniques did not differ with regard to side effects. In conclusion, total intravenous propofol anaesthesia in patients undergoing early termination of pregnancy was improved by supplementation with either fentanyl 1.5 micrograms.kg-1 or alfentanil 15 micrograms.kg-1. The benefit was slightly greater with alfentanil than with fentanyl.