Ventilation with isoflurane in the Triservice anaesthetic apparatus: a comparison with halothane and trichlorethylene

Recovery from anaesthesia using the Triservice anaesthetic apparatus with either isoflurane alone or halothane and trichlorethylene, was assessed by measurement of reaction time. There was no statistically significant improvement in recovery between patients who received low concentrations of isoflurane and those who received halothane and trichlorethylene. The mean profiles of systolic pressure and heart rate were significantly greater in the isoflurane group (P less than 0.05) than in the halothane/trichlorethylene group. Cardiovascular stability was maintained into the recovery period. The benefits of low concentrations of isoflurane as sole agent in the Triservice anaesthetic apparatus and their extrapolation to a shocked casualty in a military setting are discussed.