Cardiovascular and biochemical evidence of stress during major surgery associated with different techniques of anaesthesia
Blunnie, W.P.; McIlroy, P.D.; Merrett, J.D.; Dundee, J.W.
British Journal of Anaesthesia 55(7): 611-618
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0007-0912 PMID: 6871053 Document Number: 215863
The relative merits of a potent narcotic and a spinal analgesic to affect the stress response to a standard operation were assessed. Fit patients [45] scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy were allocated at random to 3 groups, referred to as standard (i.v. anesthesia alone), spinal (spinal plus i.v. anesthesia) and fentanyl (fentanyl plus i.v. anesthesia) groups. In the doses used, fentanyl produced the most effective attentuation of the cardiovascular, hormonal and metabolic responses to stress, but had the disadvantage of prolonged respiratory depression. Spinal anesthesia gave only a modified blockade of the response to stress and did not obtund the response to intubation.