MAINTENANCE OF ANESTHESIA WITH SEVOFLURANE AND OXYGEN IN MECHANICALLY-VENTILATED HORSES SUBJECTED TO EXPLORATORY LAPAROTOMY TREATED WITH INTRA-OPERATIVE AND POST-OPERATIVE ANESTHETIC ADJUNCTS
Gl. Carroll et al., MAINTENANCE OF ANESTHESIA WITH SEVOFLURANE AND OXYGEN IN MECHANICALLY-VENTILATED HORSES SUBJECTED TO EXPLORATORY LAPAROTOMY TREATED WITH INTRA-OPERATIVE AND POST-OPERATIVE ANESTHETIC ADJUNCTS, Equine veterinary journal, 30(5), 1998, pp. 402-407
Eight healthy horses premedicated with xylazine and induced with ketam
ine were used to evaluate sevoflurane in oxygen for maintenance of ana
esthesia during elective exploratory laparotomy. After orotracheal int
ubation, horses were hoisted, placed in dorsal recumbency on a padded
surgery table, and received sevoflurane in oxygen for maintenance of a
naesthesia. The horses were allowed to breathe spontaneously until ins
trumented; then, they were mechanically ventilated to maintain the PaC
O2 between 35 and 45 mmHg. Systolic (SAP), diastolic (DAP), and mean (
MAP) arterial blood pressures, heart rate (HR), EGG, respiratory rate,
an estimation of the saturation of haemoglobin with oxygen in periphe
ral arterial blood (SpO2), nasal temperature, end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2), e
nd-tidal sevoflurane (ETSEVO), and vaporiser concentration were record
ed every 5 min post induction; arterial blood samples were obtained so
on after induction, at 30 min after induction, and every hour thereaft
er until surgery was completed. Recovery data including times from the
sevoflurane vaporiser being turned off to first movement, to sternal
recumbency, and to standing, number of attempts to stand, and recovery
score (between 1 = safe, smooth and 6 = stormy, major injury to horse
) were collected. Analysis of variance was performed using physiologic
al data collected over 195 min of anaesthesia, the longest time period
during which all 8 horses were instrumented. Time effects (P<0.05) fo
r HR, SAP, DAP, MAP, and nasal temperature were identified. Heart rate
peaked at 45 min and declined over the course of the procedure. Arter
ial blood pressure generally decreased over time. Body temperature dec
reased over time. From 15 to 195 min mean ETSEVO concentration ranged
from 2.0 to 3.3%, while mean vaporiser settings ranged from 3.7 to 5.5
%. Three horses received intra-operative ketamine; all horses received
dobutamine infusions; and 2 horses received intra-operative calcium-d
extrose, Total anaesthesia time was 222-316 min (mean +/- s.d. 269 +/-
31 min). Time from aiming the sevoflurane vaporiser off to first move
ment was mean +/- s.d. 18 +/- 15 min; to sternal recumbency was 54 +/-
22 min; to standing was 65 +/- 27 min; and to returning the horse to
the stall in the ward was 78 +/- 24 min. Six horses stood on the first
attempt; 2 horses stood on the second attempt. The median recovery sc
ore was one (1-3). In conclusion, sevoflurane provided a stable, easil
y controllable anaesthetic plane during prolonged exploratory laparoto
mies; horses experienced smooth, safe recoveries after maintenance of
anaesthesia with sevoflurane following routine anaesthetic induction a
nd post operative xyalzine administration.