Objective To evaluate the quality of intraoperative wake?up test in the patients undergoing scoliosis correction surgery under etomidate?based anesthesia. Methods Thirty patients of both sexes, aged 13-32 yr, weighing 40-65 kg, of ASA physical statusⅠorⅡ, undergoing elective scoliosis correction surgery, were randomly assigned into etomidate group ( group E, n=15 ) or propofol group (group P, n=15) using a random number table. Anesthesia was induced with etomid 0.3 mg∕kg (group E) or propofol 2mg∕kg ( group P ) injected intravenously, midazolam, fentanyl and rocuronium. The patients were mechanically ventilated after naso?tracheal intubation. Etomidate 0.6-1. 2 mg · kg-1 · h-1 and propofol 8- 10 mg·kg-1 ·h-1 were infused intravenously during surgery in E and P groups, respectively. Both remifentanil and cisatracurium were used for maintenance of anesthesia in the two groups. Cisatracurium infusion was stopped before wake?up test. The infusion rate of propofol was adjusted to 4 mg·kg-1 ·h-1 at 15 min before wake?up test. After the scoliotic angle was corrected, infusion of etomidate and propofol was stopped, and the infusion rate of remifentanil was adjusted to 0.025μg·kg-1 ·min-1 in both groups. The wake?up time was recorded, and the quality of wake?up was assessed. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate were recorded before anesthesia ( T0 ) , immediately before the patients were awakened ( T1 ) , when the patients responded to commands from doctors ( T2 ) , and after anesthesia was deepened ( T3 ) . At T0 , the end of surgery ( T4 ) , and 24 h after surgery ( T5 ) , blood samples were collected from the internal jugular vein for determination of plasma cortisol concentrations. Results The patients were awakened successfully in the two groups, and there were no significant differences in the wake?up time, quality of wake?up, and MAP, HR and plasma cortisol concentrations at each time point between the two groups. MAP and HR were significantly higher at T2 than at T0 in the two groups. MAP and HR were within the normal range during wake?up test, and no patients developed severer cardiovascular events in the two groups. Conclusion Etomidate?based anesthesia provides better quality of intraoperative wake?up test in the patients undergoing scoliosis correction surgery, which is similar to that of propofol?based anesthesia.