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Splanchnic blood flow during halothane‐relaxant anaesthesia in elderly patients
Author(s) -
Tokics L.,
Brismar B.,
Hedenstierna G.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1986.tb02474.x
Subject(s) - splanchnic , medicine , splanchnic circulation , anesthesia , halothane , blood flow , general anaesthesia , vasodilation , hemodynamics , cardiology
We have previously found that halothane‐relaxant anaesthesia in elderly patients causes a change towards a hyperkinetic circulation, with a decrease in the arterial‐mixed venous oxygen content difference. This could be attributed to vasodilation. In the present study the splanchnic contribution to these changes was investigated. Nine patients were studied during halothane‐relaxant anaesthesia prior to surgery. During anaesthesia splanchnic blood flow was markedly reduced, while splanchnic oxygen uptake decreased only moderately compared with the awake level. This resulted in an increase in splanchnic oxygen extraction. It is concluded that the splanchnic vascular bed does not contribute to thr “hyperkinetic” circulation during halothane anaesthesia.