BACKGROUND: We evaluated the potentiating effect of anesthetics to vecuronium, and recovery profiles, and cost according to the consumption amounts, and usefulness of newly developed anesthetic agents for ambulatory anesthesia. METHODS: Seventy-five patients undergoing a major gynecological surgery were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 received isoflurane, group 2 received sevoflurane, and group 3 received desflurane. Clinical duration, recovery index, recovery time in each group, and consumption of volatile anesthetics by weighing the vaporizes were measured. RESULTS: Emergence from anesthesia was more rapid in the group 2 and 3, and there was no significant difference in potentiating effect of anesthetics to a neuromuscular blocker among the three groups. Costs according to the comsumption amount were significantly higher in the group 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane and desflurane clinically represent a more efficient alternative to isoflurane in ambulatory anesthesia because of their rapid emergence without side effects.