Total intravenous anesthesia with remifentanil, propofol and cisatracurium in end-stage renal failure

PURPOSE: To compare recovery parameters of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with remifentanil and propofol, hemodynamic responses to perioperative events, and pharmacodynamic parameters of cisatracurium in 22 end-stage renal failure and 22 normal renal function patients. METHODS: Anesthesia was induced with 2-3 mg x kg(-1) propofol and 1 microg x kg(-1) remifentanil and maintained with 75 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) propofol and propofol initial infusion of 0.2 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) propofol. Arterial pressure and heart rate were maintained by remifentanil infusion rate adjustments. The first twitch (T1) was maintained at 25% by an infusion of cisatracurium. RESULTS: There was no difference in the time to maintenance of adequate respiration, date of birth recollection, first analgesic administration, between the renal failure (4.8+/-2.5, 7.8+/-3.2, 12.3+/-5.3 min respectively) and the control group (5.2+/-2.8, 8.1+/-3.1, 12.7+/-5.5 min): nor were there any differences in the time to 25% T1 recovery, T1 recovery from 25% to 75%, or cisatracurium infusion rate between the renal failure group (32.1 +/-10.8 min, 18.2+/-5.5 min, 0.89+/-0.29 microg x kg(-1) min(-1) respectively) and the control group (35.9 (7.9 min, 18.4+/-3.8 min, 0.95+/-0.22 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)). CONCLUSION: End-stage renal failure does not prolong recovery from TIVA with remifentanil and propofol, or the recovery from cisatracurium neuromuscular block.