The purpose of this study was to compare the haemodynamic, emergence and recovery characteristics of sevoflurane with those of desflurane in nitrous oxide anaesthesia. Forty patients were randomly assigned to receive either sevoflurane 1 % or desflurane 3 % for maintenance of general anaesthesia after standardized induction sequence. Measurements of haemodynamics occurred every 2 min prior to skin incision and every 5 min thereafter. The times for discontinuation of inhaled anaesthetics to spontaneous movement, response to painful stimuli, extubation, recall of name and handgrip on command were measured. Mean anaesthesia duration was 96.2 ± 28.85 min and 124.65 ± 48.81 min in sevoflurane and desflurane groups respectively (p<0.05). Time to extubation, recall of name and handgrip on command were shorter in the desflurane group (p<0.01). At fifth and fifteenth minutes, significantly higher percentages of patients in the desflurane group had recovery scores of e 10. Desflurane offers a transient advantage compare with sevoflurane with respect of early recovery even though the duration of anaesthesia was longer in the desflurane group.