[Electro-anaesthesia during neuro-surgery (author's transl)]

The authors have performed 66 (cranial or spinal) operations with electro-anaesthesia supplemented by neuroleptics and pancuronium. In this technique, which respects the necessities of neurosurgical anaesthesia, analgesia is produced by means of Limoge's rectified high frequency currents. The protocol consists of: induction by a neuroleptic, application of the electrical current, intubation with benzodiazepin and succicurarium, controlled ventilation with a 50 p. cent oxygen/50 p. cent nitrous oxyd mixture and curare as required. The efficiency was estimated according to the necessity of a supplementary drug analgesia (fentanyl). The use of fentanyl, i.e. drug intoxication, was strongly reduced in 90 p. cent of the cases (average 0,46 micrograms/kg/hour). Absolute failures were encountered in 3 cases only. Patients waked up in very good conditions and extubation occurred on an average of 16 minutes. Reflexes of cough an deglutition are not depressed by electro-anaesthesia and we think this preservation of the respiratory function to be very profitable for such neurosurgical patients. Our opinion by now is that the best indications for electro-anaesthesia are high-risk patients, with a special mention for surgery of the posterior fossa.