Comparison of the Safety and Efficacy of Ciprofol Versus Propofol for Induction and Maintenance of General Anesthesia in Patients Under-going Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: Ciprofol is a novel sedative-anesthetic that functions similarly to propofol. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ciprofol for the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. Methods: A total of 120 patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery for pulmonary nodules under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to the ciprofol group or the propofol group. Patients in the ciprofol group received an initial dose of 0.4 mg.kg-1 of ciprofol for anesthesia induction, followed by an infusion rate ranging from 0.4 mg.kg-1.h-1 to 2.4 mg.kg-1.h-1 for maintenance. In the propofol group, patients were administered an initial dose of 2.0 mg.kg-1 of propofol for induction, with a maintenance infusion rate ranging from 4.0 mg.kg-1.h-1 to 12 mg.kg-1.h-1. The primary outcome measured was the success rate of sedation. Secondary outcomes included the time to successful induction of anesthesia, changes in hemodynamics and bispectral index (BIS) within 10 minutes after the initial administration of the study medication, time to respiratory recovery and full alertness, and the incidence of adverse events. Results: The sedation success rate was 100% in both groups. In this study, statistical analyses revealed no significant differences in the time to eyelash reflex disappearance (p=0.599), induction success time (p=0.431), the moment when the BIS value first fell below 60 (p=0.538), the time to respiratory recovery (p=0.505), or the interval until full wakefulness (p=0.837). Notably, within the first 10 minutes following the initial administration of the study medication, the reduction in blood pressure was significantly more pronounced in the propofol group (p<0.05). Additionally, the mean BIS value was significantly higher in the propofol group (p<0.01). The required dosage of sedative medication was significantly lower in the ciprofol group (p<0.001). Compared to the propofol group, the ciprofol group exhibited a significant reduction in the incidence of adverse events during intubation (p=0.01), a marked decrease in injection pain (p=0.001), and a significant decrease in the incidence of intraoperative hypotension (p<0.05). Conclusion: Ciprofol exhibits comparable efficacy and safety profiles for both the induction and maintenance of general anesthesia in patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. Furthermore, it has been associated with a reduced dosage requirement, significantly lower mean BIS values, and a notable decrease in the incidence of injection pain and intraoperative hypotension.