Desflurane

Desflurane is a member of the halogenated methyl/ethyl ether family administered by inhalation, producing a loss of consciousness and pain sensations, suppression of voluntary motor activity, modification of autonomic reflexes and sedation of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, effects that are reversible and dose-dependent. The other members of this family are enflurane and its structural isomer, isoflurane, which are halogenated with chlorine and fluorine. Desflurane is halogenated exclusively with fluorine as suggested by its structure, the low blood/gas partition coefficient of SUPRANE (Desflurane) (0.42) is lower than that of other potent inhalational anesthetics such as isoflurane (1.4) and even lower than that of nitrous oxide (0.46), after modifying the inhaled concentration, modifications of the clinical effects of SUPRANE are rapidly obtained; these data explain the rapid recovery from anesthesia with desflurane. Animal studies revealed faster induction and recovery from anesthesia than isoflurane, with a similar cardiorespiratory profile. No signs of epileptogenic or other EEG side effects were observed, and adjuvant medications did not produce unexpected or toxic EEG responses during desflurane anesthesia. Desflurane is the inhalational anesthetic with the fastest recovery, designed for high-volume surgical settings.