CARDIOVASCULAR DEPRESSION DURING HALOTHANE ANESTHESIA IN INFANTS - A STUDY OF 3 INDUCTION TECHNIQUES

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 61  (1) , 42-45
Abstract
Hemodynamic changes during 3 techniques for induction of halothane anesthesia were studied in 90 healthy infants aged 5-26 wk who were randomly divided into 3 groups of 30 patients each. In group I, anesthesia was induced using halothane in concentrations that were increased to 3%. In group II, atropine, 0.02 mg/kg, was given i.m. before induction, followed by induction as in group I. In group III, halothane in concentrations that were increased to 1.25% was followed by i.m. succinylcholine, 2 mg/kg, 90 s after the start of induction. In all 3 groups N2O 3 l/min and O2 2 l/min were employed using a non-rebreathing system. Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were recorded at 1-min intervals for 20 min. HR decreased 30% in group I, 18% in group (P < 0.01) and 29% in group III. BP decreased 50% in group I (P < 0.01), 34% in group II and 33% in group III. During halothane induction in infants, bradycardia can be minimized with preoperative atropine; the degree of hypotension can be diminished with either preoperative atropine or i.m. succinylcholine combined with lower halothane concentrations.