[Chronic alcohol consumption and use of anesthetics - retrospective study of laryngectomies]

It was the purpose of this clinical retrospective study, which was conducted under homogeneous conditions, to find out whether there is a connection between chronic alcoholism and the consumption of narcotics. We examined a group of tumour patients who had to undergo partial laryngectomy in anaesthesia with neuroleptics. We examined 161 reports with regard to their statistical valuation. 21 patients were selected from group A in whom anaesthesia with neuroleptics had been induced with Thiopental, Droperidol and Fentanyl, and 48 patients from group B in whom anaesthesia with neuroleptics was induced with Flunitrazepam and Fentanyl. The patients of both groups were divided into three groups according to their previous alcohol history: Daily consumption of alcohol group I less than 20 ml, group II 20-100 ml, group III greater than 100 ml. Group A turned out to be too small for statistical valuation. But the mean values of Fentanyl consumption indicated dependence on the quantity of alcohol consumed. Group B was analysed statistically. In spite of the fact that there was a lack of statistical significance, the mean values for the consumption of Fentanyl (in group II higher by 7.8% and in group III higher by 16.9% than in group I) did show a dependence on alcohol abuse, the more so since signs of insufficient anaesthesia were reported by such patients only in whom severe abuse of alcohol had been established.