Salivary excretion of trifluoroacetic acid (TFAA) after halothane anesthesia

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFAA) in the saliva, blood and urine after halothane anesthesia was determined by ionchromatography in surgical patients. The mean salivary concentration of TFAA was 1115.5 +/- 516.2 micro M on the 1st, 732.4 +/- 543.9 micro M on the 3rd and 406.6 +/- 258.7 micro M on the 7th post-operative day. The mean serum concentration of TFAA was 390.1 +/- 115.7 micro M on the 1st, 220.8 +/- 73.2 micro M on the 3rd and 133.8 +/- 84.8 micro M on the 7th post-operative day. The concentration of TFAA in saliva was approximately three times as high as that in the blood, but their time courses were almost parallel. The excretion of TFAA in urine changed in a similar manner. It was concluded from the findings that the salivary gland plays a role as one of the routes for the elimination of TFAA.