Hepatic Injury Following Halothane, Enflurane, and Isoflurane Anesthesia in Rats

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Abstract
Halothane anesthesia administered to enzyme-induced animals in a hypoxic atmosphere consistently produces hepatic necrosis. Rats pretreated with phenobarbital were exposed to hypoxia at varying intervals after administration of halothane, enflurane or isoflurane anesthesia. Anesthetics were administered at 1 MAC [minimum anesthetic concentration] for 2 h. For each agent, hypoxia consisting of 8% O2-balance N for 1 h was imposed at the end of anesthesia. In other groups of rats, a 15, 30, 60 and 120 min interval of 100% oxygen was used between 2 h of halothane anesthesia and the imposition of hypoxia. Controls included enzyme-induced animals with and without hypoxia, hypoxia alone and cage controls. Hepatic injury was graded by histologic examination. Injury was greater when hypoxia followed halothane anesthesia than when it followed enflurane, isoflurane or enzyme-induction alone. A difference in injury score existed between control animals and those anesthetized with halothane who received a 15 min O2 interval before hypoxia. Combined results from the 15 and 30 min delay groups were also different from control. There was no difference between control and halothane groups when the O2 interval was 60 or 120 min. The injury score of the enflurane and isoflurane groups were comparable to that of controls. Evidently a potential for hypoxia-induced liver injury during recovery exists after halothane anesthesia. Neither enflurane nor isoflu-ane anesthesia produced significant hepatic injury in this model.

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