Clinical Investigation of Closed Circuit Fluothane Anesthesia Utilizing No. 8 Heidbrink Ether Vaporizer: 250 Cases.

Kwak,  II Yong

doi:1968.1.1.25

Original Article

Korean Journal of Anesthesiology 1968;1(1):25-30.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1968.1.1.25

Clinical Investigation of Closed Circuit Fluothane Anesthesia Utilizing No. 8 Heidbrink Ether Vaporizer: 250 Cases.

II Yong Kwak

Department of Anesthesiology, Hanil Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

To 250 heavily premedicated patients older than 5 years of age, fluothane was administred for almost all types of surgical procedures of varying durations up to 7 hours, utilizing a No.8 Heidbrink ether vaporizer with its wick removed and placed on the inspiratory side of the closed circle carbon dioxide absorption system. Anesthesis was induced with intravenous thiopental in adults and older children or nitrous oxide-oxyen-fluothane in younger children. All patients had their trachess intubated and respiration controlled with the use of muscle relaxants. Anesthesia could adquately be maintained with basal oxygen flow (500ml/min) and fluothane (setting No.4 or 5) without serious complications. The anesthetic course was monitored by determination of blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration, and estimation of depth by usual clinical signs. Lead ll of the electrocardiogram and fronto-occipital lead of electroencephalogram were observed in 46 patients. In 15 patients concentration of fluothane in inspired gas was measured by the use of a Liston-Becker infrared analyser sensitive to fluothane. The amount of fluothane consumed for each operation was also measured. A battery of liver function tests indicated that the hepatic functions were not affected to a greater degree by fluothane anesthesia than by ether or cyclopropane anesthesis. It is concluded that closed circuit fluothane anesthesia utilizing No.8 Heidbrink ether vaporizer is safe, simple, economical and effective.