ENFLURANE (ETHRANE) ANAESTHESIA IN MAN: METABOLISM AND EFFECTS ON BIOCHEMICAL AND HAEMATOLOGICAL VARIABLES

In 10 patients serum inorganic fluoride increased to a mean peak value of 16μmol. litre −1 after 2 h of enflurane anaesthesia. Four days after anaesthesia, serum inorganic fluoride had decreased to the values before operation. The maximum daily inorganic fluoride excretion in urine (U F V) did not exceed 200 μmol. litre −1 . In a group of 20 patients routine biochemical and haematological variables were measured before and after enflurane anaesthesia. There were only minor changes in these variables, attributable to the surgical procedure. It is concluded that renal dysfunction is unlikely to follow enflurane anaesthesia in patients with previously normal hepatic and renal function.