Halothane, viii

FIG. 1 Molecular structures of the drugs examined in the delivery study the general anesthetics, alkanols (I), halothane (II), enflurane (III), isoflurane (IV), halogenated cyclobutane (V) the local anesthetics, dibucaine hydrochloride (VI), procaine hydrochloride (VII), tetracaine hydrochloride (VIII), lidocaine hydrochloride (IX), benzyl alcohol (X) the endocrine disruptor, bisphenol A (XI), and alkylbenzenes, benzene (XII), toluene (XIII), ethylbenzene (XIV), and propylbenzene (XV). 

In SED VII and VIII, reference was made to the possible deleterious effects of low concentrations of anaesthetic agents in the atmosphere of operating rooms. More specifically, the influence on abortion rates and congenital anomalies of children bom to female anaesthetists was described. Desbaumes et al. (2C) measured brominated metabolites of halothane in the urine of 18 members of the operating theatre staff and found a striking difference between women and men (14.59 mg/1 and 3.04 mg/1 respectively). This difference may be explained by the fact that women staff members are more likely to be continuously present in the operating theatre or that they retain halothane more easily in their body fat. Only the first explanation is consistent with the sex difference in fluroxene toxicity found in mice (3), as this toxicity was more marked in males. 

As pointed out in SED VIII, this is an extremely rare condition which may occur after any form of general anaesthesia. Suxamethonium and halothane most frequently... 

The local risks of vasoconstrictors in local anaesthetic solutions, particularly when the latter are used in the fingers or other extremities, have long been recognized. In addition, it is well known that the use of adrenaline or noradrenaline for this purpose can lead to marked rises in blood pressure, especially in patients who are taking MAO inhibitors the cardiovascular effects can be dangerous in patients with existing cardiovascular disease or where there is simultaneous treatment with either a tricyclic antidepressant (SED VIII) or with those general anaesthetics which sensitize the myocardium to the effects of catecholamines (e.g. chloroform, cyclopropane, halothane). 

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