EFFECT OF HALOTHANE EXPOSURE ON MOTOR-SKILLS AND MEMORY IN ANESTHETISTS

In a prospective study involving 24 anaesthesia residents, each reside nt was assessed three times i.e., first as control group, not exposed to anaesthesia at all; the second group in which the resident was expo sed to anaesthesia while using controlled respiration with closed circ uit without halothane (non-halothane group) and the third group in whi ch they were exposed to anaesthesia using spontaneous respiration with semiclosed circuit using halothane (halothane group). After each expo sure of 3-4 h duration in each group, the resident was subjected to sp ecific psychological tests to assess motor skills and memory. In the n on-halothane group, a depression of motor skills by 5.51 per cent and of memory by 17.14 per cent was observed. In the halothane group, the reduction of motor skills was up to 27 per cent and of memory by 45 pe r cent as compared to the control values. It is concluded that 3-4 h e xposure to halothane (1.5-4%) obtunds the motor skills and memory in a naesthetists.