title: Influence of general anaesthesia on portal pressure in liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension.
abstract: In 19 patients with cirrhosis of the liver and portal hypertension, a catheter was inserted into the portal vein using a percutaneous transhepatic technique. The portal pressure was measured during general anaesthesia with and without halothane, and in the awake state. Addition of halothane to the N2O:O2 anaesthesia did not change portal venous pressure, in spite of a significant fall in arterial blood pressure. Portal venous pressure under general anaesthesia with complete muscle relaxation did not differ from the pressure in the resting, awake patient.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002404:Catheterization; D002496:Central Venous Pressure; D005260:Female; D006221:Halothane; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010313:Partial Pressure; D011169:Portal Vein; D014690:Venous Pressure
chemical_list: D006221:Halothane