Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of low-dose propofol on the respiratory complications immediately after tracheal extubation in children undergoing tonsillectomy. In this randomized double blinded clinical trial study, 70 children (2-12) years old with ASA class I undergoing elective tonsillectomy involved. General anesthesia was performed by the same anesthesiologist and in the same way. The patients were then intubated with oxygen after 3 min of ventilation. After the surgery and muscle relaxant injection and before extubation, 0.5 mg propofol/kg was injected into the intervention group. The control group received normal saline. Finally, the presence of post-extubation laryngospasm, cough and nausea and vomiting was recorded and all data analyzed between two groups. There was no significant difference in age (p value = 0.425), gender (p value = 0.851), cough (p value = 0.239), nausea (p value = 1) and weight (p value = 0.624) between two groups. There was a significant different in incidence of laryngospasm between two groups (p value = 0.04). It can be concluded that the administration of 0.5 mg/kg of propofol before extubation could prevent laryngospasm in patients undergoing tonsillectomy, without inducing any side effects.