Fluothane in obstetrical anaesthesia

Reviews Abstracts Edited

by

LOUIS

M.

HELLMAN,

M.D.

Anesthesiology

British

Medical

Journal

Vol. 20, September-October, 1959. “Ichiyanagi, Kunio, and Morris, Lucien, E.: Effect of Cyclopropane and Various Oxytocics on Cardiac Rhythm in the

Vol. 2, Oct. 3, 1959. Leslie, David W.: Ante-partum Meconium Staining of the Liquor Amnii, p. 612. Dec. 12, 1959. Harnden, D. G., and Stewart, J. S. S.: Chromosomes in a Case of Pure Gonadal Dysgenesis, p. 1285. Hamden, D. G., and Armstrong, C. N.: Chromo-

Selected abstracts

Parturient

Ichiyanagi

Woman,

p. 669.

and Morris: Effect of Cyclopropane and Various Oxytocics on Cardiac Rhythm in the Parturient Woman, p.

669. Posterior pituitary extract has been associated with cardiovascular irregularities when employed with general anesthetics. Seventy-two obstetrical patients received either Pitocin or Syntocinon, 10 units intravenously, alone or followed by

Spence,

ergotrate, 0.2 mg., after delivery under cyclopropane anesthesia. In each instance electrocardiograms were taken prior to and during general anesthesia and for 10 minutes following administration of oxytocics. Those cases in which hypercapnia or hypoxia may have been present were eliminated. The frequency of specific arrhythmias is recorded. There was no difference in the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias after Syntocinon compared with Pitocin, nor was there any significant increase in ECG abnormalities over those observed during anesthesia or during the preanesthesia period. A transient flattening of T waves was observed in a significant percentage of patients receiving Syntocinon or Pitocin. Edward E. Wallach

Canadian

wticle

has been

Anaesthesia

Vol. 6, October, 1959. *Sheridan, C. A., and in

Sheridan

Obstetrical

Society Robson,

Journal

J. G.:

Anaesthesia,

and Robson: Fluothane Anaesthesia, p. 365.

Fluothane p. 365.

in Obstetrical

On an obstetrical service that delivers 3,239 patients on the average per year, nitrous oxideFluothane anesthesia was used from November, 1956, to February, 1959, on 1,601 patients. In 1958 a Fluotec vaporizer was used for 506 of these patients. This agent was studied because the authors feel that Fluothane would “eventually become established in most obstetrical units because it fulfills a long felt need as a substitute for chloroform.” Infants were evaluated for depression, with all other anesthetics used for control; nitrous-trilene anesthesia represented

November-December, 1959. Nishimura, N., Kitahara, T., and Kusakabe, T.: The Spread of Lidocaine and 1131 Solution in the Epidural Space, p. 785. “This

somes of a True Hermaphrodite, p. 1287. A. W., and Havard, C. W. H.: Unusual Case of Gonadal Dysgenesis (Turner’s Syndrome), p. 1288.

75 per cent of this group and spinal and dural anesthesia 7 per cent. In 1958, when Fluotec was used, there was no significant crease in infant depression. However, there

abstracted.

1033

epithe inwas

1034

Selected abstracts

Three of the cases had fymphatic pernteation shouId he treated as Stage I carcinortta. Complete hystewc~tomy, probably, is ndquatc It ix,trntent for microinvasive car&orn;t ~ttifesc I! riiphatic, cstcnsiotk is fwlrtd.

attd

J. b~iiwc~rti

Cancer

Vol. IL’. July -,4u,gusf, 1959. “Fioler,

I-I. K., and Boyes, D. ~1.: Patterns of Early Invasion From Intraepitheliaf Carcinotna of the Crrvix, p. 67.1. Fioler and Boyes: Patterns of Early Invasion From Intraepithelial Carcinoma of Cervix, p. 673. The authors report a study of 410 itttraepitheliaf lesions of the cervix, 26 of which showrd s(‘attered microinvasive foci. This ir an incidcnc,c of 6 per cent. They recognize three types of carcirtoma detected fly cone biopsy: ( 1 ) irttraepithelial carcinoma; ;Y?) intraepithelial c,arcinorrta \vith microirtvasivca foci; and (3 ! occult in\Tasive carcinoma. The tni(,roscopic features of microiu\~asion art: clearly described. In the main these rot&t elf small tongues of malignant rolls in the sttwtt:l beneath the surfaw epithclium CO!- extending from au involved gland. However, the cohesive bands and tongues of neoplastic ~c:lls found in true invasive carcinoma are ahsent.

IIali