Propofol should be the induction agent of choice for caesarean section under general anaesthesia

Abstract

Since its launch, propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) has become the most widely used induction agent for general anaesthesia in this country. Its main attractions include an improved quality and speed of recovery combined with a relatively low incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting which have made it particularly popular for the ever-increasing proportion of patients undergoing day-stay surgical procedures. The fortuitous timing of the introduction of the laryngeal mask airway to anaesthetic practice at about the same time as propofol has no doubt contributed to its rapid acceptance as the induction agent of choice when this device is used. However, it has also become popular in patients intubated and ventilated for short operations as well as longer and more specialised surgical procedures including cardiac and neurosurgery. Furthermore, its rapid elimination and lack of cumulative effects make it suitable for administration by continuous infusion for the maintenance of anaesthesia or sedation in conjunction with a regional block. Continuous infusions of propofol have also been used outside the operating theatre environment for sedation of patients undergoing radiological or endoscopic investigations as well as those in the intensive care unit.