Anesthesiology
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Comparative Study
Effects of volatile anesthetic choice on hospital length-of-stay: a retrospective study and a prospective trial.
Volatile anesthetic prices differ substantially. But differences in drug-acquisition cost would be inconsequential if hospitalization were prolonged by more soluble anesthetics. The authors tested the hypothesis that the duration of hospitalization is prolonged with isoflurane anesthesia. ⋯ Results of the propensity-matched retrospective analysis suggested that avoiding isoflurane significantly reduced the duration of hospitalization. In contrast, length-of-stay was comparable in our prospective trial. Volatile anesthetic choice should not be based on concerns about the duration of hospitalization. These studies illustrate the importance of following even the best retrospective analysis with a prospective trial.