Total Intravenous Anesthesia Versus Inhalational Anesthesia in Ambulatory Surgery: Effects on Recovery, Postoperative Outcomes, and Patient Satisfaction

Notice

This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.

Year : 2026 | Volume : 15 | Issue : 02 | Page : 18 27
By

Shabia Showkat,

Tazmeen Shafi,

Anshkumar Bhuva,

Kabhi Khanna,

Jenish Parvadiya,

  1. Researcher, Department of Allied Healthcare, Jenish Jagdishbhai Parvadiya, West Bengal, India
  2. Researcher, Department of Pharmacy, Jenish Jagdishbhai Parvadiya, West Bengal, India
  3. Researcher, Department of Pharmacy, Jenish Jagdishbhai Parvadiya, West Bengal, India
  4. Researcher, Department of Pharmacy, Jenish Jagdishbhai Parvadiya, West Bengal, India
  5. Director, Jenish Jagdishbhai Parvadiya, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Ambulatory surgery has expanded rapidly, creating a need for anesthetic techniques that promote rapid recovery, minimal complications, and high patient satisfaction. Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and inhalational anesthesia are widely used in day-care surgical practice, each with distinct pharmacological and clinical characteristics. This article compares TIVA and inhalational anesthesia with respect to perioperative hemodynamic stability, depth of anesthesia, recovery profiles, postoperative pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), discharge readiness, and patient satisfaction. Evidence indicates that propofol-based TIVA is associated with reduced PONV, improved quality of recovery, stable hemodynamics, and earlier discharge, particularly in high-risk and ambulatory populations. Inhalational anesthesia remains effective but may contribute to higher emetogenic effects. The role of structured patient education and standardized recovery assessment tools in optimizing outcomes is also highlighted. Overall, TIVA emerges as a valuable and patient-centered anesthetic technique for ambulatory surgical procedures.

Keywords: Total intravenous anesthesia, inhalational anesthesia, ambulatory surgery, postoperative nausea and vomiting, recovery of function, patient satisfaction, propofol

[This article belongs to Research and Reviews : Journal of Surgery ]

How to cite this article: Shabia Showkat, Tazmeen Shafi, Anshkumar Bhuva, Kabhi Khanna, Jenish Parvadiya. Total Intravenous Anesthesia Versus Inhalational Anesthesia in Ambulatory Surgery: Effects on Recovery, Postoperative Outcomes, and Patient Satisfaction. Research and Reviews : Journal of Surgery. 2026; 15(02):18-27.
How to cite this URL: Shabia Showkat, Tazmeen Shafi, Anshkumar Bhuva, Kabhi Khanna, Jenish Parvadiya. Total Intravenous Anesthesia Versus Inhalational Anesthesia in Ambulatory Surgery: Effects on Recovery, Postoperative Outcomes, and Patient Satisfaction. Research and Reviews : Journal of Surgery. 2026; 15(02):18-27. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjos/article=2026/view=253579

References

  1. McIlroy EI, Leslie K. Total intravenous anaesthesia in ambulatory care. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2019;32(6):703–7. doi: 1097/ACO.0000000000000786.
  2. Bajwa SJS, Haldar R. Total intravenous anaesthesia: Are we really moving forward? Indian J Anaesth. 2017;61(9):670–9. doi: 4103/ija.IJA_451_17.
  3. Amiri AA, Karvandian K, Ashouri M, Rahimi M, Amiri AA. Comparison of postoperative nausea and vomiting with intravenous versus inhalational anesthesia in abdominal surgery: A randomized clinical trial. Braz J Anesthesiol. 2020;70(5):471–6. doi: 1016/j.bjane.2020.04.006.
  4. Yang L, Xu YJ, Shen J, Lou FF, Zhang J, Wu J. Propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia decreases postoperative nausea and vomiting in free-flap breast reconstruction. Gland Surg. 2020;9(3):875–82. doi: 21037/gs.2020.04.06.
  5. Preethi PV, Sundaramanickam R, Kumar N, Chari P. Total intravenous anesthesia versus inhalational anesthesia for brain relaxation and hemodynamics during neurosurgery. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2021;47(6):1899–906. doi: 1007/s00068-020-01559-8.
  6. De Oliveira GS Jr, Fitzgerald PC, Marcus RJ, Ahmad S, McCarthy RJ. A dose-ranging study of remifentanil and propofol on quality of recovery after ambulatory surgery. Anesth Analg. 2017;125(6):2084–91. doi: 1213/ANE.0000000000002496.
  7. Hung TY, Lin YC, Wang YL, Lin MC. Dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to general anesthesia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol. 2023;62(2):239–51. doi: 1016/j.tjog.2023.01.010.
  8. Kamal K, Baharoon S, Siddiqui N, Jiandani M, Krishnaswamy G. Perioperative outcomes of total intravenous anesthesia versus volatile anesthesia in obese patients: A systematic review. Cureus. 2024;16(2):e54094. doi: 7759/cureus.54094.
  9. Mashour GA, Shanks A, Tremper KK, Kheterpal S, Turner CR. Prevention of intraoperative awareness with explicit recall. Anesthesiology. 2018;128(1):1–10. doi: 1097/ALN.0000000000001892.
  10. Ryan SM, Nielsen CJ. Global warming potential of inhaled anesthetics: Application to clinical use. Anesth Analg. 2010;111(1):92–8. doi: 1213/ANE.0b013e3181e058d7.
  11. van Eck CF, Toor A, Banffy MB, Gambardella RA. Patient education improves patient satisfaction and outcomes in orthopedic surgery. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2018;100(3):211–9. doi: 2106/JBJS.17.00664.
  12. Wilson CJ, Watt-Watson J, Hodnett E, Tranmer J. Patient education improves postoperative pain outcomes: A systematic review. Pain Res Manag. 2016;2016:5316254. doi: 1155/2016/5316254.
  13. Daccache N, Wu Y, Jeffries SD, Green MS, Nathan N, Short TG, et al. Safety and recovery profile of patients after inhalational anaesthesia versus target-controlled or manual total intravenous anaesthesia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Br J Anaesth. 2025;134(5):1474–85. doi: 1016/j.bja.2025.02.007.
  14. Joe YE, Kim JH, Lee SY. Effect of anesthetic technique on discharge readiness and recovery quality in ambulatory surgery. BMC Anesthesiol. 2021;21(1):284. doi: 1186/s12871-021-01480-5.
  15. Aldrete JA. The post-anesthesia recovery score revisited. J Clin Anesth. 1995;7(1):89–91. doi: 1016/0952-8180(94)00001-K.
  16. Domene SS, Fulginiti D, Thompson A, Maccagnano C, Gamberini L, Bilotta F, et al. Inhalation anesthesia and total intravenous anesthesia regimens in patients with obesity: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Anesth Analg Crit Care. 2025;5:15.
  17. Bubshait AK. Recovery profiles and well-being outcomes in patients undergoing various anaesthesia techniques: A systematic review. Health Sci Rep. 2025;8:e70937.
  18. Rennie C, McCartney CJL, Macfarlane AJR, Prasad GA. Total intravenous anesthesia compared with inhalational anesthesia in ambulatory orthopedic surgery. Cureus. 2023;15(12):e50775. doi: 7759/cureus.50775.
  19. Leslie K, Short TG, Mackenzie CF. Depth of anesthesia monitoring and intraoperative awareness. Br J Anaesth. 2018;121(1):120–33. doi: 1016/j.bja.2018.03.021.
Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 15
Issue 02
Received 25/05/2026
Accepted 03/07/2026
Published 29/08/2026
Publication Time 96 Days

Login

My IP

PlumX Metrics