Etomidate plus fentanyl for anesthesia in pediatric strabotomy

Considering the side effects of etomidate, it requires additional anesthetics to reduce the side effects and improve efficacy. Ketamine is often used as an adjunct anesthetic. We hypothesized that etomidate combined with fentanyl was more effective than etomidate combined with ketamine in the anesthesia of pediatric strabotomy. To prove our hypothesis, a prospective randomized controlled clinical study was performed, in which 35 children with strabotomy received etomidate plus ketamine (group A) for anesthesia induction and maintenance and 35 children with strabotomy received etomidate combined with fentanyl (group B). Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), bispectral index (BIS), anesthesia effect, and emergence agitation and pain were observed before anesthesia induction (T1), after anesthesia induction (T2), at the beginning of the operation (T3), after 10-min operation (T4), and at the end of the operation (T5). Children in group B had significantly lower MAP and HR from T3 to T5, decreased BIS from T2 to T4, better anesthesia effect, and smaller emergence agitation and pain scores at 10 min after entering into postanesthesia care unit (PACU) compared with group A (p < 0.05). The mean emergence agitation score in group B was significantly lower than that in group A when the maximum emergence in group B was at 20 min after entering into PACU (p < 0.05). In conclusion, etomidate combined with fentanyl plays a good efficacy in anesthesia of pediatric strabotomy compared with etomidate plus ketamine.