Material and Method: The study was conducted among 136 healthy children, aged six months to nine years, and randomized to two groups, sevoflurane and desflurane, during maintenance anesthesia with laryngeal mask airway. Recovery profile and perioperative adverse events were recorded. The emergence agitation (EA) was assessed using a 4-point scale by an anesthetist nurse in the recovery room who was blinded to the treatment.

Results: The incidences of EA between sevoflurane/desflurane were not significantly different at 36.8%/41.2%, p = 0.73, and neither was the median (IQR) of severity (2 (1, 3)/2 (1, 3), p = 0.4). The awakening time in the desflurane group was 6.4±4.0 minutes, faster than in the sevoflurane group of 10.6±7.6 minutes (p<0.001). The number of children having intraoperative respiratory events was significantly higher in the desflurane group (17), compared to the sevoflurane group (7) (p = 0.043).

Conclusion: The occurrence of EA and adverse events between sevoflurane and desflurane were not different, except that the overall of intraoperative respiratory events was higher in desflurane group.

Keywords: Emergence agitation, Sevoflurane, Desflurane, Pediatric ambulatory surgery