PROPANIDID VERSUS THIOPENTONE FOR INDUCTION OF GENERAL ANAESTHESIA IN ELECTIVE CAESAREAN SECTION

Abstract

A comparison was made of the Apgar scores of ninety-four neonates born by elective Caesarean section. Propanidid was used to induce anaesthesia in forty women and thiopentone in fifty-four. Anaesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide and muscle relaxants. The incidence of neonatal depression was higher in the thiopentone group than in the propanidid group, particularly when induction-delivery time was prolonged more than 10 minutes. This is attributed to the different fates of these drugs: propanidid is rapidly hydrolyzed by esterases, while thiopentone is very slowly metabolized in the liver.