[Althesin in geriatric injury anesthesia; an evaluation of 100 patients over 70]

Abstract

The physiopathological characteristics of senescence justify unremitting research into anaesthesiological techniques that increase the anaesthesia safety margin in the elderly. Althesin has been studied in 100 over-70s who underwent traumatological surgery. The drug was used in 10% solution administered by continuous drop by drop venous perfusion, for induction also. All patients were submitted to orotracheal intubation under local anaesthesia or using a small dose of succinylcholine. The condition was maintained by N2O in proportions equal to the oxygen and by small doses of analgesic (prevalently neuroleptoanalgesia drugs). Cardiocirculatory and respiratory parameters total anaesthetic consumption and the quality of arousal were studied. The value of Althesin in the narcosis of the elderly is stressed, with particular reference to the good cardiocirculatory stability, the little effect on pulmonary compliance, the early arousal with post-narcotic depressive phenomena and the high therapeutic index.