Blood pressure and pulse rate responses to extubation with and without prior topical tracheal anaesthesia

The results of this study demonstrate that 60 mg of lidocaine sprayed down the tracheal tube before extubation and 40 mg sprayed down the tracheal tube before extubation and 40 mg sprayed down during tracheal tube removal prevents increases in blood pressure and pulse rate during and after extubation. The data suggest that this manoeuvre should be of advantage to patients with coronary artery disease who may not be able to tolerate the increased cardiac dynamics which usually accompany extubation.