Comparison of recovery profiles in target-controlled infusions (TCI) versus manually controlled infusions for total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) in laparoscopic surgeries. A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Considerable importance has been attached to early recovery and discharge readiness after surgeries. Many centers use total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) as their anesthesia technique of choice. Target-controlled infusions (TCI) have been proposed as a method to precisely deliver continuous infusions of propofol and opioids as compared to the traditionally used manual-controlled infusion (MCI) methods. However, TCI has also been shown to result in the administration of larger doses of propofol which could cause delayed emergence and recovery from anesthesia. Studies involving TCI have focused mainly on its effects on anesthesia induction but not much literature is available on recovery profiles of patients on TCI. This study was designed to compare the effect of conventionally used MCI methods versus the target-controlled infusion (TCI) method of administering TIVA on recovery characteristics in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective randomized interventional study on 54 patients. Our primary objective was to compare the rates of recovery from anesthesia as judged by four parameters. Time to return of spontaneous ventilation, time to respond to verbal commands, time to extubation, and time to shift patient out of the operating room after stoppage of propofol infusion. As secondary objectives, intraoperative average bispectral index (BIS) values and total anesthetic drugs (propofol and fentanyl) consumption were also compared. RESULTS: We noted that for laparoscopic surgeries lasting less than 4 hours, both MCI and TCI techniques of TIVA have comparable rates of recovery after the stoppage of propofol infusion. Total consumption of propofol and fentanyl was also similar; however, with the use of the TCI method of TIVA, better depth of anesthesia as evidenced by lower average BIS levels was noted. CONCLUSION: Recovery rates after TIVA using a target-controlled infusion (TCI) system are similar to BIS-guided MCIs in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery lasting less than 4 hours. TCI resulted in better depths of anesthesia though per kg/min consumption of propofol was found to be more.