Comparison of enflurane and halothane in hypotensive eye surgery

Thirty patients undergoing elective eye surgery had anaesthesia induced with sodium thiopentone, suxamethonium and d-tubocurarine chloride. Patients were ventilated with nitrous oxide, oxygen and either halothane or enflurane. The volatile agents were used to decrease the systolic blood pressure to 80 mmHg. The volatile agent concentration in the blood was measured at 30 min intervals. Both agents were effective in producing hypotension, but enflurane was the more potent hypotensive agent in terms of MAC equivalents. There was no significant differences between the agents with respect to speed of recovery.