The effect of general anaesthesia on the haemodynamic events during laparoscopy with CO2-insufflation

Sixteen women were studied during elective diagnostic laparoscopy with CO2-insufflation to an intraabdominal pressure (IAP) of 2 kPa and Trendelenburg tilt to 30 degrees. They were allocated to either a halothane (Group I) or a balanced (Group II) anaesthesia with relaxation and controlled ventilation. Heart rate (HR), arterial pressure, stroke volume, CO2-elimination, end-tidal CO2 vol.% and total respiratory compliance (TRC) were the parameters measured, and mean arterial pressure (MAP), total peripheral resistance (TPR), stroke index (SI) and cardiac index (CI) were calculated. At maximum haemodynamic strain, SI and CI were on average reduced by 42% in both groups, without significant changes in HR and MAP. TPR increased by 50% in Group I and 100% in Group II. The reduction in SI was related to the changes in TRC. A small increment in CO2-elimination after CO2-insufflation was most pronounced in Group II. SI and CI did not reach the pre-insufflation values after return to the horizontal position and CO2-exsufflation. The haemodynamic differences between the two groups were small compared to the effects of the laparoscopy procedures.