The efficacy of sevolflurane inhalation alone or its combination with intravenous remifentanil against withdrawal movements on rocuronium injection in children

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to compare the efficacy of sevoflurane inhalation alone, intravenous remifentanil alone, and the combination of sevoflurane inhalation and remifentanil as pretreatment for the prevention of rocuronium-induced withdrawal movement in pediatric patients. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized study, 90 American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II pediatric patients aged 3 to 10 years were randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups: The Group S comprising the patients receiving sevoflurane inhalation, the Group R comprising those doing intravenous remifentanil 0.5 µg/kg and the Group C comprising those doing sevoflurane inhalation+intravenous remifentanil 0.5 µg/kg. The response of the patients was graded based on a 4-point scale. RESULTS: The overall incidence of withdrawal movement on rocuronium injection was 54% (16/30) in the Group S, 57% (17/30) in the Group R and 17% (5/30) in the Group C. There was no significant difference in the incidence of withdrawal movements on rocuronium injection between the Group S and Group R. In addition, the incidence of withdrawal movements and generalized movement on rocuronium injection was significantly lower in the Group C as compared with the Group S and R (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate not only that there was no significant difference in the degree of the effect in lowering the incidence of withdrawal movements on rocuronium injection between sevoflurane inhalation and intravenous remifentanil but also that it was significantly higher when combined with intravenous remifentanil as compared with the single use of sevoflurane inhalation or intravenous remifentanil.