Comparison of methohexitone and etomidate for general anaesthesia in unpremedicated outpatients.

This study compares methohexitone (Brietal; Eli Lilly) and etomidate (Hypnomidate; Janssen) as hypnotic agents for the induction and maintenance of general anaesthesia in outpatients given fentanyl and nitrous oxide for analgesia but no premedication. While both agents provided suitable anaesthesia with a minimal incidence of side-effects, 66% of the patients who received methohexitone were noticeably drowsy 2 hours after the operation, whereas all but 3% of the patients who received etomidate were wide awake.