Biomaterial Database

Clinical anaesthesia in the horse: comparison of enflurane and halothane. 1985

P M Taylor, and L W Hall

Anaesthesia was induced in 24 horses with xylazine and ketamine and maintained with halothane (12 cases) or enflurane (12 cases) in oxygen. Pulse rate, arterial blood pressure, arterial blood gas values, respiratory rate and tidal volume were measured at regular intervals during anaesthesia. Serial venous blood samples were taken for assay of glucose, urea, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and creatine kinase. Operating conditions and the horses' behaviour in the recovery period were also recorded. In the case of the group of horses receiving enflurane, difficulty was experienced maintaining anaesthesia deep enough for surgery. This group also displayed greater respiratory depression. There were no significant differences between arterial blood pressure values, or any of the haematological or biochemical parameters recorded in each group. Recovery from anaesthesia was significantly faster in horses receiving enflurane but less smooth. It was concluded that, although enflurane appeared to be safe in the horse, the respiratory depression and the unpleasant recovery did not make it a desirable alternative to halothane.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007432	Intraoperative Period	The period during a surgical operation.	Intraoperative Periods,Period, Intraoperative,Periods, Intraoperative
D008297	Male		Males
D011184	Postoperative Period	The period following a surgical operation.	Period, Postoperative,Periods, Postoperative,Postoperative Periods
D011229	Preanesthetic Medication	Drugs administered before an anesthetic to decrease a patient's anxiety and control the effects of that anesthetic.	Medication, Preanesthetic,Medications, Preanesthetic,Preanesthetic Medications
D004341	Drug Evaluation	Any process by which toxicity, metabolism, absorption, elimination, preferred route of administration, safe dosage range, etc., for a drug or group of drugs is determined through clinical assessment in humans or veterinary animals.	Evaluation Studies, Drug,Drug Evaluation Studies,Drug Evaluation Study,Drug Evaluations,Evaluation Study, Drug,Evaluation, Drug,Evaluations, Drug,Studies, Drug Evaluation,Study, Drug Evaluation
D004737	Enflurane	An extremely stable inhalation anesthetic that allows rapid adjustments of anesthesia depth with little change in pulse or respiratory rate.	Alyrane,Enfran,Enlirane,Ethrane,Etran
D005260	Female		Females
D006221	Halothane	A nonflammable, halogenated, hydrocarbon anesthetic that provides relatively rapid induction with little or no excitement. Analgesia may not be adequate. NITROUS OXIDE is often given concomitantly. Because halothane may not produce sufficient muscle relaxation, supplemental neuromuscular blocking agents may be required. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual, 1994, p178)	1,1,1-Trifluoro-2-Chloro-2-Bromoethane,Fluothane,Ftorotan,Narcotan
D006734	Horse Diseases	Diseases of domestic and wild horses of the species Equus caballus.	Equine Diseases,Disease, Equine,Disease, Horse,Diseases, Equine,Diseases, Horse,Equine Disease,Horse Disease
D006736	Horses	Large, hoofed mammals of the family EQUIDAE. Horses are active day and night with most of the day spent seeking and consuming food. Feeding peaks occur in the early morning and late afternoon, and there are several daily periods of rest.	Equus caballus,Equus przewalskii,Horse, Domestic,Domestic Horse,Domestic Horses,Horse,Horses, Domestic