• E Liljeroth, A Grauers, and J Akeson.
• Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
• Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2001 Aug 1;45(7):839-41.

BackgroundPropofol, a popular intravenous (iv) anaesthetic induction agent for brief cases or day surgery, is associated with smooth induction, pleasant sleep, rapid recovery and little postoperative nausea. A major disadvantage is pain at the site of injection. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of simultaneous iv infusion of carrier fluid on propofol-induced local pain.MethodsThirty patients, scheduled for ear-nose-throat or plastic surgery under general anaesthesia, were randomly allocated into two groups. Each patient had two 2 ml iv bolus injections of propofol given at two minutes' interval. In group I (n=15) the first bolus injection was given with no iv carrier fluid and the second one given with a 10 ml iv carrier fluid infused over 10 s. Correspondingly, the patients in group II (n=15) had their first injection with and their second one without the iv carrier fluid. Following each injection of propofol the patients were asked by a blinded investigator to score their pain on a 10-point visual analogue scale, and to report the appearance, maximum and disappearance of pain. After the second assessment of pain, general anaesthesia was induced with more propofol.ResultsPain intensity at the site of propofol injection was found not to be influenced by simultaneous iv infusion of carrier fluid.ConclusionIt seems, from the results obtained here, that simultaneous iv infusion of carrier fluid has no particular effect on local pain following iv administration of propofol.

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