General anesthesia for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy requires much care because 1) the patients concerned are mostly infants, 2) as the operative site is the upper respiratory tract, obstruction of airway and aspiration of blood must be avoided during and after operation, and 3) epinephrine is applied to the operative site for hemostasis.
Since May 1977 we have combined general anesthesia consisting of nitrous oxide, oxygen and pancuronium with local anesthesia consisting of 0.5% lidocaine solution containing 1: 100, 000 epinephrine for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in infants. The present report concerns a retrospective study of 240 cases that were anesthetized with this method from May 1977 to April 1979.
Compared with the preoperative values obtained at the induction of anesthesia, the maximum values of systolic pressure and pulse rate after the start of operation increased 29.1±17.0% and 17.5±15.6% respectively. In most cases, however, the rise was transient, with the values gradually returning to the preoperative level. Serious arrhythmia that might cause hypotension developed in none.
Not less than 0.2 ml/kg of 0.5% lidocaine solution containing 1: 100, 000 epinephrine was used in 34.8% of the patient undergoing adenoidectomy, in 83.3% of those undergoing tonsillectomy and in 100% of those undergoing both operations. This means that in most of the patients the volume of epinephrine solution exceeded the safe dose suggested by Johnstone and Kats as concurrently usable in general anesthesia with halothane.
Recovery of consciousness and reflex after anesthesia were rapid, thereby permitting early removal of the endotracheal tube.
In summary, combination of inhalation anesthesia consisting of GO-pancuronium with regional anesthesia consisting of 0.5% lidocaine containing 1: 100, 000 epinephrine is considered to be useful for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in infants. The reasons are 1) epinephrine can be used concurrently with general anesthesia. 2) analgesia can be brought to the operative site by local anesthesia, 3) the respiratory tract can be maintained by endotracheal intubation during anesthesia, and by rapid recovery of consciousness and reflex activity after operation.
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