[Reduction of bleeding during microsurgery of the middle ear by amiodarone]

Operative bleeding was reduced in 47 patients undergoing middle ear microsurgery by means of an intravenous infusion of Amiodarone. Total doses of the order of 1 mg.kg-1 were remarkably effective without adverse effects. This result is attributed to the capacity of Amiodarone to reduce the increase in blood pressure and particularly the tachycardia induced by release of endogenous (operative stress) and exogenous (local adrenaline infiltrations) catecholamines.