Background: Remifentanil, an ultra-short-acting μ-receptor agonist, is used with propofol or thiopental for tracheal intubation without muscle relaxants. While effective with both, its combination with thiopental provides better hemodynamic stability. Thiopental has long been a standard intravenous agent for anaesthesia induction and remains a cost-effective alternative to propofol in resource-limited settings. To date, no study has directly compared the effects of thiopental–remifentanil and propofol–remifentanil combinations on LMA insertion conditions. This study aims to compare the effects of thiopental or propofol with 2 µg·kg⁻¹ remifentanil on laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion conditions and success in a prospective, randomised double-blind study. Method: The study included 80 premedicated ASA I-II patients, aged 18–65, randomised into Group P (propofol) and Group T (thiopental). Anaesthesia induction was with 2 μg·kg⁻¹ remifentanil, followed by 5 mg·kg⁻¹ thiopental or 2.5 mg·kg⁻¹ propofol. LMA insertion occurred 90 s post-induction. LMA insertion conditions were evaluated using a six-variable scale. Systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and bispectral index monitor (BIS) values were recorded at baseline, 1 min pre-insertion, and at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 min after insertion. Apnoea duration, loss of eyelash reflex duration, insertion duration, number of attempts, and perioperative complications were also documented. Results: Demographic data were similar. Group P showed significantly shorter eyelash reflex loss and LMA insertion durations, longer apnoea duration, and higher rates of full mouth opening, excellent LMA insertion condition, and hypotension or bradycardia compared to Group T (p < 0.05). Group P had significantly lower HR, SAP, DAP, and MAP at various time points (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in blood presence on LMA, sore throat, or dysphagia (p > 0.05). Conclusions: In our study, administration of 2 μg·kg⁻¹ remifentanil before induction along with thiopental or propofol was shown to provide acceptable LMA insertion conditions at comparable levels. As hemodynamic parameters were less affected, we believe the remifentanil–thiopental combination may be a suitable alternative.

Background and Objectives: Dexmedetomidine is a potent selective α₂ receptor agonist with analgesic and sedative effects. Many reports indicate that compared to fentanyl, the combination of dexmedetomidine with propofol provides comparably acceptable conditions for a laryngeal mask airway (LMA). However, no study has evaluated the effectiveness of combined dexmedetomidine and thiopental in LMA insertions compared to that of combined dexmedetomidine and propofol. This prospective, randomized, double-blind study aimed to compare the effects of dexmedetomidine with thiopental or propofol on LMA insertion conditions, hemodynamic responses, and pharyngolaryngeal morbidity, which in this study was defined as the presence of postoperative sore throat, dysphagia, or visible blood in the airway following a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion. Materials and Methods: A total of 80 premedicated ASA I-II patients aged 18–65 years were randomized to the propofol group (Group P, n = 40) or thiopental group (Group T, n = 40). Anesthesia was induced by infusing 1 μg·kg⁻¹ dexmedetomidine over 10 min followed by 2.5 mg·kg⁻¹ propofol or 5 mg·kg⁻¹ thiopental. LMA insertion conditions were evaluated on a scale assessing six variables. Systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and bispectral index values were recorded at baseline; 1 min before; and at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 min after an LMA insertion. The baseline values for the systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and bispectral index (BIS) values were recorded before dexmedetomidine infusion. Measurements for all patients were then taken 1 min before and at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 min after the LMA insertion Results: Demographic data were similar between the groups. In Group P, the time to loss of eyelash reflex and LMA insertion time were significantly shorter, the apnea duration was significantly longer, and the rates of full jaw opening and optimal LMA insertion conditions were significantly higher when compared with those of Group T (p < 0.05). Group P showed a significantly greater percentage decrease in HR compared to that of Group T at 1 min before and 1, 2, and 3 min after the LMA insertion (p < 0.05). Group T had a greater decrease in SAP and MAP at 1 min before insertion, while the SAP decrease was lower in Group T at 3, 4, and 5 min after insertion. The MAP and DAP values after the LMA insertion showed a greater decrease in Group P compared to in Group T (p < 0.05). The incidence of bradycardia was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Group P than in Group T. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the frequency of hypotension, sore throat, presence of blood, or dysphagia at discharge from the recovery unit (p > 0.05). Conclusions: This study showed that the use of dexmedetomidine with thiopental provided comparably acceptable LMA insertion conditions with more stable hemodynamics compared to propofol.

Background: Remifentanil, an ultra-short-acting µ-receptor agonist, is used with propofol for optimal laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion. However, no studies have assessed its effects when combined with thiopental on LMA conditions. The combined use of thiopental and remifentanil may offer advantages, such as enhanced cardiovascular and respiratory stability. This study aims to compare the administration of thiopental with different doses of remifentanil to assess their combined effects on LMA insertion conditions and success in a prospective, randomised double-blind study. Method: A total of 100 ASA I–II patients (18–65 years), including both male and female participants, were randomly assigned to four remifentanil dose groups (0.5–3 µg.kg⁻¹). Induction involved thiopental (5 mg.kg⁻¹) after remifentanil. LMA insertion conditions were evaluated using a six-variable scale. Systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and bispectral index monitor (BIS) values, as well as apnoea duration, eyelash reflex loss time, and insertion attempts, were recorded at baseline, before insertion, and at 5 min post-insertion. Results: Time to eyelash reflex loss and LMA insertion were shorter in Groups III and IV than in Groups I and II (p < 0.001). Apnoea duration was longest in Group IV, followed by Group III (p < 0.001). Groups III and IV had significantly better LMA placement, mouth opening, and ease of insertion (p < 0.05). Coughing and gagging were highest in Group I (p < 0.001). SAP, MAP, HR, and DAP were significantly lower in Group IV at various time points (p < 0.05). HR was significantly higher in Group I compared to Groups II and III at multiple time points (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The administration of 5 mg.kg⁻¹ thiopental with 2 μg.kg⁻¹ remifentanil has been found to provide a stable haemodynamic response and 96% excellent or satisfactory laryngeal mask insertion conditions without increasing the duration of apnoea.