Intravenous anaesthesia by infusion. A technique using alphaxolone/alphadolone (althesin)

Two hundred and seventy-three patients were anaesthetised using aphaxolone/alphadolone as a sole anaesthetic agent, administered in either a 10% solution or in increments of neat drug. Analgesics were given where necessary. This technique was instituted to provide a method of anaesthesia that avoided pollution of the atmosphere, with its possible harmful effects. As experience was gained, better results were obtained. Overall, 86% of the anaesthetics administered were without problems, 12% presented some difficulty, usually minor movement of the patient, and in 2% this technique was abandoned.