title: General anaesthesia for the mentally handicapped. A study based on anaesthesia for dental surgery.
abstract: The establishment of a general anaesthetic unit for dental surgery in a hospital for the mentally subnormal is described. The problems encountered in sedating the mentally handicapped patient in such a way as to permit an unhindered induction of anaesthesia are described together with the evolution of a technique of premedication using nitrazepam and droperidol. The medical problems complicating anaesthesia found in this group of patients are enumerated and their effects on the development of a suitable anaesthetic technique are described.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008875:Middle Aged; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication