Factors influencing the emergence time in isoflurane and sevoflurane anesthesia at the clinical situation

The emergence time and factors influencing the emergence time were examined in surgical patients under sevoflurane anesthesia (97 cases) or isoflurane anesthesia (102 cases). Patients were randomly divided into isoflurane or sevoflurane anesthesia. Patients under 15 years old and patients undergoing cardiac or intracranial surgery were excluded. The concurrent use of regional anesthesia or supplementary anesthetics was left to the discretion of the attending anesthesiologists. Parameters investigated were duration of anesthesia, duration of surgery, age, sex, patient risk, weight, height, body surface area, total plasma protein, plasma cholinesterase, hemoglobin concentration, anesthetic concentration, time from the end of surgery to extubation, and time from the end of anesthetic administration to extubation (emergence time). The anesthetic concentration was lower in patients with epidural anesthesia in both groups, but there was no significant difference in the emergence time for either anesthetic. In the isoflurane group, duration of anesthesia, duration of surgery, age, and ASA risk (P=0.02) were positively correlated with emergence time, while total plasma protein had a negative correlation. In the sevoflurane group, age was the only factor that positively affected the emergence time.