Impact of butorphanol combined with propofol general anesthesia on laboratory indicators and reproductive outcomes in elderly patients undergoing oocyte retrieval

This study investigates the impact of butorphanol combined with propofol general anesthesia on laboratory indicators and reproductive outcomes in elderly patients undergoing oocyte retrieval and explores the rationality and safety of its clinical application. A total of 3418 elderly infertile patients underwent transvaginal oocyte retrieval from November 2020 to October 2022. The patients were divided into a control group (non-anesthesia group, n = 250) and a study group (butorphanol combined with propofol general anesthesia group, n = 3168). The basic information (age and body mass index [BMI] of both partners, fertilization method), laboratory indicators (number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate, blastocyst formation rate, usable blastocyst rate), and early pregnancy outcome indicators (clinical pregnancy rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, early miscarriage rate) were compared between the 2 groups. There were no statistically significant differences in the age, BMI, and fertilization methods of the couples between the 2 groups (P > .05). The study group had a higher number of oocytes retrieved than the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P < .05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in fertilization rate, blastocyst formation rate, and usable blastocyst rate between the 2 groups (P > .05). There were no statistically significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate, ectopic pregnancy rate, and early miscarriage rate between the 2 groups (P > .05). Butorphanol combined with propofol general anesthesia can increase the number of oocytes retrieved in elderly patients undergoing oocyte retrieval without affecting other laboratory indicators or pregnancy outcomes, and it can be safely applied in clinical practice.