Currently, sevoflurane is the agent of choice, with halothane as a less commonly used alternative.

The properties of sevoflurane are:

• Low blood:gas partition coefficient
• Non-flammable
• Sweet smelling (though not always found to be pleasant by patients)
• Relatively non-irritant to the airways
• Appears to be non-toxic to the liver and kidneys
• Cardiac and respiratory depression is dose dependent