Anesth Analg 2007;105:79-82
© 2007 International Anesthesia Research Society
doi: 10.1213/01.ane.0000265849.33203.60

ANESTHETIC PHARMACOLOGY

Rapid Recovery from Sevoflurane and Desflurane with Hypercapnia and Hyperventilation

Derek J. Sakata, MD, Nishant A. Gopalakrishnan, PhD, Joseph A. Orr, PhD, Julia L. White, RN, BS, CCRC, and Dwayne R. Westenskow, PhD
From the Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

BACKGROUND: Hypercapnia with hyperventilation shortens the time between turning off the vaporizer (1 MAC) and when patients open their eyes after isoflurane anesthesia by 62%.

METHODS: In the present study we tested whether a proportional shortening occurs with sevoflurane and desflurane.

RESULTS: Consistent with a proportional shortening, we found that hypercapnia with hyperventilation decreased recovery times by 52% for sevoflurane and 64% for desflurane (when compared with normal ventilation with normocapnia).

CONCLUSION: Concurrent hyperventilation to rapidly remove the anesthetic from the lungs and rebreathing to induce hypercapnia can significantly shorten recovery times and produce the same proportionate decrease for anesthetics that differ in solubility.