Ventilatory depression during and after infusion of alfentanil in man
O'Connor, M.; Escarpa, A.; Prys-Roberts, C.
British Journal of Anaesthesia 55(Suppl 2): 217s-222s
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0007-0912 PMID: 6418196 Document Number: 207012
Sixteen fit young patients undergoing body surface surgery received an infusion of alfentanil 50 or 100 micrograms kg-1 h-1 to supplement nitrous oxide anaesthesia. The alfentanil infusion was continued for 2 h after operation at the slower rate of 20 micrograms kg-1 h-1. The intraoperative infusions provided satisfactory conditions for anaesthesia. The infusion after operation provided adequate analgesia at a cost of depression of carbon dioxide responsiveness to 50% of its value before operation, but only moderate effects on minute volume and PaCO2. Plasma alfentanil concentration during the postoperative infusion was 108 +/- 37 ng ml-1 (mean +/- SD).