Objective:

To compare the effects of propofol and thiopental on haemodynamics, awareness and newborns in pregnant women undergoing elective caesarean section.

Methods:

Seventy pregnant women were assigned into two equal groups. For anaesthesia induction, 2 mg kg-1 propofol (Group P) and 5 mg kg-1 thiopental (Group T) were administered. Maternal haemodynamic parameters and bispectral index (BIS) values were recorded before induction, in 1-minute intervals within the first 10 minutes after induction and in 5-minute intervals thereafter, during skin incision, uterine incision, removal of infant, uterine sutures, skin sutures, eye opening and extubation in all cases. Cord blood gas analysis and 1- and 5-minute APGAR scores were recorded. In all cases, a keyword was spelled to ear during removal of the infant, and at the first postoperative hour, patients were questioned. Important time periods of surgery and anaesthesia and also the first postoperative hour haemodynamic values, pain scores, nausea and vomiting were noted.

Results:

The demographic data were similar among cases. In Group T, systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) at the first 2 minutes after induction and heart rate (HR) at almost all time points were significantly higher. BIS values from induction to the eighth minute and skin incision, uterine incision and removal of the infant were lower in Group P. No patient remembered the keyword spelled, while 4 patients reported dreaming during general anaesthesia. The effects of propofol and thiopental sodium on 1- and 5-minute APGAR scores, cord blood gas values and postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were similar.

Conclusion:

Propofol is a more appropriate anaesthetic agent than thiopental in anaesthesia for caesareans, since it provides better anaesthestic depth and more rapid recovery.

Keywords: Caesarean section, propofol, thiopental sodium, bispectral index, intraoperative awareness