Halothane hepatitis: toxicity or hypersensitivity?
Chapman, B.A.; Laurenson, V.G.; Cook, H.B.
New Zealand Medical Journal 98(787): 793-796
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-8446 PMID: 3865077 Document Number: 252409
A 32 year old female developed a severe hepatitis (serum bilirubin 544 .mu.mol/l) one week after halothane anaesthetic. Six months later a general anaesthetic was administered via a halothane free circuit without incident. A year later a further non halothane anaesthetic was administered this time utilising the routine circuit after briefly flushing the rubber tubing with oxygen. That evening she became febrile and the following day abnormal liver function tests were documented. She remained asymptomatic. This case illustrates the severity of halothane hepatitis and the extreme sensitivity of these patients to trace amounts of halothane.