Excess Lactate Production During Halothane Anesthesia in Man

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Abstract
Excess lactate, the amount of arterial or mixed venous blood lactate produced in excess of that accounted for by aerobic metabolism, has been proposed as an index for adequacy of tissue oxygenation.1 Greene has demonstrated the presence of significant amounts of excess lactate production during cyclopropane and ether anesthesia, while none has been present during thiopental sodiumnitrous oxide administration.2 Because of the serious implications of tissue hypoxia, especially during the administration of halogenated hydrocarbons,3 and because of the lack of data concerning tissue perfusion during halothane anesthesia, it was thought worthwhile to measure this parameter during halothane (Fluothane) administration. Methods The patients in this study were ten males (nine of them convalescent burn patients), ages 19 to 31, who were scheduled to undergo elective, plastic surgical procedures. They had been fasting for at least eight hours, and were brought to the operating room without premedication. An intravenous