[Experiences with continuous infusions of etomidate in cardiac surgery (author's transl)]

The hypnotic agent etomidate was added by infusion to a fentanyl-N2O-O2-anaesthesia for patients (n=15) requiring open heart surgery. The purpose of this procedure was to avoid awareness during operation (mean duration 187 min). The average amount of etomidate infused was 2.55 mg/kg, which seemed to be an overdose. The fentanyl consumption was slightly reduced as compared with a control group. No patients complained of awareness. The anaesthetic method studied is not thought to be superior to a high-dose fentanyl anaesthesia.