[The circulatory system in patients under electrostimulation anaesthesia during ophthalmological operations (author's...

Anaesthesia by electrostimulation and its effects on the circulatory system were investigated in 65 elderly patients, in whom operations on the retina and vitreous body were performed. Stimulation of the dermatomes of the first and second trigeminal nerve as well as of C3 and C4 was performed using stimulating needles in 25 patients and adhesive electrodes in 40 patients. All patients were intubated after injection of thiopentone and a muscle relaxant. Anaesthesia was maintained by continuous electrostimulation, intermittent relaxation and normoventilation with N2O/O2 in a ratio of 1/1. During this anaesthesia technique, marked stability of the circulatory system was observed. This was noted in 32 normotensive and 33 hypertensive patients, the latter being partly under antihypertensive medication. Electrostimulation anaesthesia therefore may be recommended for elderly and high risk patients.