One of the goals of anesthesia is complete, comfortable and rapid recovery without sequelae from anesthesia. We compared the recovery pattern between anesthesia with propofol and thiopental/isoflurane. The fifty patients undergoing emergency appendectomy were allocated randomly to receive one of the anesthesia with propofol or thiopental/isoflurane. All of the patients were also given fentanyl, atracurium in equivocal dosage per weight and 50% N2O. Group 1(patient No; 25) was received anesthesia with fentanyl, atracurium, N2O and continuous injection of 6~12 mg/kg/hour of propofol. Group 2(patient No; 25) was received anesthesia with thiopental, fentanyl, atracurium, N2O and 1~2 MAC(minimal alveolar concentration) of isoflurane. We studied the duration of return of self respiration from discontinuation of anesthetics and recovery pattern in time sequence. The results were as following; The group 1 compared with group 2 at early recovery phase. 1) The duration of return of self respiration from discontinuation of anesthetics retured more rapid. 2) Emergence time was more rapid. 3) Postoperative sequelae(nausea, vomiting, sedation, drowsiness, memory dysfunction, pain) rate was less severe. But at recovery phase after 24 hours, there were no significant difference in postoperative sequelae and recovery condition in both groups. Therefore, we concluded that propofol is better than thiopental/isoflurane for anesthesia of emergency appendectomy in view of early recovery pattern.