Isoflurane and propofol are known to have a low potential for hepatotoxicity. However, no study has compared the effects on hepatic function after of enflurane, isoflurane or propofol in tympanomatoidectomy. Anesthetic techniques should permit the maintenance of low blood pressure during operation for a bloodless surgical field. Because of a long operation time and low blood pressure, the liver may be damaged. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of isoflurane and propofol on liver function by comparing them with enflurane in patients who had been received tympanomatoidectomy.

Eighty-seven patients with normal liver function were studied following tympanomastiodectomy. The patients were randomly assigned to Group E (n = 28), who received enflurane, Group I (n = 30), who received isoflurane or Group P (n = 29), who received propofol. The plasma concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured on the day before the operation, and 1, 2 and 3 days after the operation.

one and two days after the operation, all groups showed a significant increase in AST (P < 0.05), but this recovered to the baseline level at 3 days postoperatively, and there was no difference among the three groups. ALT and ALP were not changed until 3 days postoperatively in all groups, and there were no difference between the three groups.

We conclude that there are no significant difference in terms of postoperative hepatic function after tympanomatoidectomy between the three groups.