BACKGROUND: An agitated recovery may occur after inhalation anesthesia. The aim of the present study was to assess the recovery quality after inhalation anesthesia with enflurane or sevoflurane in children. METHODS: Thirthy children aged 2 - 11 years (classified as ASA physical status 1) scheduled for elective surgery were randomly assigned to receive either enflurane (n = 14) or sevoflurane (n = 16). All children were premedicated with midazolam (0.05 mg/kg) and glycopyrrolate (0.004 mg/kg) an hour before induction. Thiopenthal sodium (5 mg/kg) and vecuronium bromide (0.1 mg/kg) were used for the induction of anesthesia, and it was maintained by inhalation of enflurane 2 vol% or sevoflurane 2 vol% in N2O/O2 50/50 via an endotracheal tube. Recovery was assessed by a "blinded" observer using a postanesthetic recovery score. Recovery characteristics and agitation characteristics on emergence were also compared with each other between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no differences between groups in respect of age, weight, duration of inhalation gas exposure. Recovery was faster with sevoflurane anesthesia. Agitation occurred more frequently with sevoflurane than enflurane. Duration of agitation was also longer with sevoflurane than enflurane. CONCLUSIONS: The recovery of consciousness from sevoflurane anesthesia was fast, but postoperative agitation was more common in sevoflurane anesthesia.