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Awareness during anaesthesia: A comparison of anaesthesia with nitrous oxide-oxygen and nitrous oxide-oxygen with Innovar®

  • R. A. Browne
  • D. V. Catton
Article

Summary

One hundred and twelve patients undergoing gynaecological surgery were investigated for awareness during anaesthesia with nitrous oxide, oxygen and a muscle relaxant both with and without Innovar® as an adjunct. When nitrous oxide (60 per cent) was used alone, 5.3 per cent of the patients were aware of an auditory stimulus in the form of recorded music. When Innovar® was added as an adjunct the stimulus was not heard.

The addition of Innovar® also reduces muscle movement, probably due to its analgesic effect. The incidence of dreaming was also reduced when Innovar® was added.

Anaesthetists have a responsibility to be certain that patients are not aware when under anaesthesia. With the relaxant techniques this means that adjuncts in the form of Innovar® or intermittent inhalational agents must be administered promptly when signs of light anaesthesia appear.

Keywords

Nitrous Oxide Thiopentone Retrograde Amnesia Muscle Movement Pancuronium Bromide 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Résumé

Une étude fut entreprise sur 112 patientes qui subissaient une chirurgie gynécologique. Elles furent expossée à un stimulus auditoire constant à l'aide d'une bande magnétique. Les patientes furent divisées en deux groupes:

Le groupe I fut anesthésié avec du thiopentone, des myorelaxants, de l'oxygène et du protoxyde d'azote à 60 pour cent.

Le groupe II reçut en plus de l'innovar au cours de l'induction et lors d'apparition de signes d'anesthésie légère.

Dans le groupe I, 5.3 pour cent des patientes se rappelèrent le stimulus auditif enregistré, mais aucune ne ressentit la douleur.

Dans le groupe II, aucun patient ne se rappela le stimulus auditif.

Lorsque les agents myorelaxants sont utilisés, il est nécessaire d'administrer une substance adjuvante sous forme d'innovar ou d'un agent d'inhalation de façon intermittente rapidement lors d'apparition des signes d'anesthésie trop légère.

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Copyright information

© Canadian Anesthesiologists 1973

Authors and Affiliations

  • R. A. Browne
    • 1
  • D. V. Catton
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of AnaesthesiaHamilton Civic Hospitals and McMaster UniversityHamilton

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