RECOVERY OF RESPIRATORY CILIARY FUNCTION AFTER DEPRESSION BY INHALATION ANESTHETIC AGENTS - AN IN-VITRO STUDY USING NASAL TURBINATE EXPLANTS

We have developed a human tissue preparation suitable for measurement of cilia beat frequency derived from nasal turbinates. Cilia beat freq uency of turbinate explants from 11 patients did not change significan tly over a 10-day observation period while maintained in an incubator, with mean cilia beat frequency of 13.1 (SEM 0.3) Hz to 14.4 (0.2) Hz (ANOVA for repeated measures, P = 0.168). We have used this preparatio n to investigate recovery of ciliary function after depression by inha lation anaesthetic agents. Eight or nine turbinate explants were expos ed to three times the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of halothan e, enflurane or isoflurane for a period of 1 h and thereafter to a per iod of air washout. After exposure to the inhalation agent there was a significant reduction in cilia beat frequency with all three agents: halothane 14.3 (0.4) Hz to 9.5 (0.3) Hz; enflurane 13.7 (0.6) Hz to 10 .5 (0.5) Hz; isoflurane 15.9 (0.6) Hz to 10.6 (0.3) Hz. Cilia beat fre quency returned to values after air washout that were not significantl y different from baseline after 90 min of washout of halothane and 60 min of washout of enflurane and isoflurane (repeated measures ANOVA, u npaired t test; P = 0.01 at 60 min and P = 0.31 at 90 min washout for halothane; P = 0.83 at 60 min washout for enflurane; P = 0.26 at 60 mi n washout for isoflurane).