Anesthesia considerations during nephrolithotomy with slush

A retrospective study was made of 113 patients who underwent nephrolithotomy between 1962 and 1973. Multiple parameters from a surgical and anesthesia viewpoint were tabulated. The main findings were a high incidence of pulmonary complications (37 per cent), a general lowering of body temperature during anesthesia and operation and initial decreases in blood pressure, apparently related to the use of d-tubocurarine. Currently, prospective studies are underway to more clearly delineate these problems and perhaps find ways to eliminate them.