Total intravenous anaesthesia in emergency surgery: a narrative review
Authors' conclusion
The absence of emergency-specific comparative data means current total intravenous anaesthesia practice relies on extrapolation from studies with uncertain validity.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing emergency surgery, including RSI
- Comparison
- TIVA vs inhalational anaesthesia in emergency surgery
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- No RCTs comparing TIVA and inhalational anaesthesia directly in emergency surgery
- Current practice extrapolated from elective surgery, where TIVA reduces PONV and emergence delirium
- National audits document accidental awareness under GA and cardiac arrests during RSI using TIVA, predominantly from preventable delivery and dosing errors
- National surveys: around one-quarter of anaesthetists use TIVA for RSI
- Multiple RSI adaptations have emerged but lack validation
Original publication
Total intravenous anaesthesia in emergency surgery: a narrative review. Anaesthesia. Published 3 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →