Anticipated changes in the management of anesthesia with use of remifentanil - Its clinical application in comparison with fentanyl and morphine

Remifentanil can provide both excellent perioperative analgesia and rapid arousal from anesthesia. This distinguished characteristic of remifentanil is sufficient enough to bring about subsequent changes in anesthesia management. But the negative side resulting from rapid disappearance of analgesia is also of concern. Once specific clinical application of remifentanil is established and distinguished from that of accustomed opioids such as fentanyl and morphine, it would be a great help for anesthesiologists in Japan to adapt themselves to changing environment including increased public interests in day surgery and patient's satisfaction-oriented anesthesia. Anticipation for remifentanil as a new opioid is considerably high.