Comparison of Remimazolam and Propofol for Recovery of Ambulatory Upper Airway Surgery

Patients scheduled for ambulatory upper airway (including nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx) surgery and who agree to participate in the study will be randomly assigned to the Remimazolam group and the Propofol group. In the Remimazolam group, general anesthesia is induced and maintained by continuous infusion of remimazolam and remifentanil. Once the surgery is completed, general anesthesia is recovered with flumazenil. In the Propofol group, general anesthesia is induced and maintained by continuous infusion of propofol and remifentanil using a target concentration controlled infusion method. In both groups, rocuronium is used for neuromuscular blokade, and sugammadex is used for reversal of neuromuscular blockade.

When the surgery is completed, recovery time, occurrence of adverse events, and anesthesia recovery indicators are examined in 3 stages: in the operating room, while staying in the post-anesthesia care unit(PACU), and while staying in the day surgery center.

Inclusion criteria

• Adult patients (age 19 or older) undergoing ambulatory upper respiratory tract (nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx) surgery under general anesthesia
• American Society of Anesthesiologists physical class classification I, II, and III

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who refused to participate in the study
• Pregnant patients
• Patients with a history of hypersensitivity to drugs or additives used during surgery
• Patients with acute narrow-angle glaucoma
• Alcohol or drug dependent patients
• Patients with Child-Pugh class C liver dysfunction