[Clinical evaluation of the efficacy of Ro 15-1788, Anexate after balanced intravenous anesthesia with flunitrazepam and fentanyl].

Benzodiazepines are widely used as neuroleptics in anaesthesia, but they give rise to drowsiness at the end of surgery. Anexate is an imidazobenzodiazepine with specific antagonistic activity for benzodiazepines. We have administered 0.2 mg i.v. of the drug to 20 adult patients after anaesthesia with tiopentale (250 mg), pancuronium bromide (0.07 mg.kg-1), flunitrazepam (2 mg) and fentanyl (0.10 mg); after the first dose fentanyl was administered (0.10 mg) about every 30 minute. Analgesia was supplemented with nitrous oxide 66%. Blood pressure and heart rate did not changes significantly after Anexate; respiratory volume increased significantly in all cases (ANOVA P less than 0.001). Consciousness was rapidly resumed in all cases and patients demonstrated to be oriented in time and space soon after Anexate. In 14 out of 20 patients drowsiness reappeared after about 30 minute and further doses of 0.1 mg of the drug (to a maximum of 0.4 mg in some cases) were necessary. Side effects were rare and slight, their occurrence depending on the speed of administration. In our opinion a total dose of 0.3 to 0.4 mg Anexate is need to fully antagonize the sedative effect of 2 mg flunitrazepam.