Both isoflurane- and propofol-based anesthesia allow early extubation and recovery of basic psychomotor functions. More sophisticated tests show a decline of cognitive functions up to 24 hours after isoflurane- as well as propofol-based anesthesia. Because both anesthetics show similar recovery of psychomotor functions after long duration anesthesia, other factors such as subjective well-being and costs may be considered when deciding between these two anesthetics.