Clinical impressions of enflurane

Enflurane was used in 150 non-selected patients and was found to be a most satisfactory inhalation anaesthetic. Induction and recovery times were rapid and these characteristics, together with its rather pleasant smell, made it readily acceptable to the patient. Although such features suggest that it would be an ideal agent for children, very high concentrations of enflurane were required to produce adequate anaesthesia in infants and small children. Normal sinus rhythm continued following the injection of adrenaline during enflurane anaesthesia and adequate muscle relaxation was obtained for lower abdominal surgery. The degree of metabolic breakdown of enflurane is considerably less than with other inhalation agents and, if this is reflected in terms of minimal renal and hepatic toxicity, there is every reason to believe that enflurane may be preferable to the volatile anaesthetics currently in use.