Pharmacological blockade

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Summary: Our technique is essentially one of pharmacological blockade achieved for the most part by a combination of ganglion blocking drug, halothane and β-adrenergic blocker. To these are added the effects of posture and controlled respiration to reduce systolic blood pressure to 60-80 mmHg at heart level. Initially this is seldom difficult, but the maintenance of a steady hypotension often needs an increasing amount of halothane together with a rising end-tidal positive pressure. This paper is restricted to technique, but it would be a mistake not to draw attention to the physiological limitations which this technique imposes. These are the circulatory changes in the brain caused by the steep head-up position and a low systolic pressure, and the altered ventilation: perfusion ratio within the alveoli of the lungs. These are the parameters of physiological trespass within which the technique must be practised if success is to be achieved with safety.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: