[Influence of thiopental administration on peripheral circulation during cardiac surgery with extracorporeal...

The influence of thiopental administration on peripheral circulation during cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation was examined. The subjects were 28 patients who were divided into one group of 14 patients receiving thiopental and the other group of 14 patients receiving no thiopental. The time lag of changes in peripheral temperature (sole) from that in central temperature (forehead) according to the deep body temperature determination, and base excess were used as indices of the quality of the peripheral circulation. A single shot of thiopental at a dose of 4 mg.kg-1 was initially given i.v. at the start of extracorporeal circulation and subsequently thiopental at a dose of 2 mg.kg-1.hr-1 was continuously infused i.v. up to the time of the aortic declamping. The results indicate a significantly smaller lag in the group receiving thiopental than in the group receiving no thiopental. Base excess was maintained within normal limits in the former group compared with negative base excess in the latter group as well as a significantly smaller requirement of postoperative catecholamine in the former group. The above findings suggest that thiopental administration during cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation is not only useful for maintaining peripheral circulation, but also beneficial for post-operative cardiac function.