Explosive anaesthetic agents. A regional survey on the use of ether and cyclopropane

A total of 156 consultant anaesthetists in the North East Thames Regional Health Authority were circulated with a questionnaire on their personal use of ether and cyclopropane and their attitudes towards restriction or withdrawal of these agents: 144 completed questionnaires were received (92% response). Four anaesthetists (3%) claimed to use ether regularly at least once a month and 27 anaesthetists (19%) felt that their anaesthetic practice would suffer if ether were withdrawn. Cyclopropane had 62 regular users (43%) and 65 anaesthetists (45%) felt that their practice would suffer if it were withdrawn. Ninety-two anaesthetists (64%) were prepared to confine their use of explosive agents to either the anaesthetic room or the operating room; of these, three-quarters favoured the anaesthetic room. There were few notable differences in the pattern of use of explosive agents between anaesthetists with more than 21 years in the specialty and those with less than 21 years.