title: [Preoperative blood alcohol levels in patients hospitalized for prolonged surgical procedures].
abstract: Self medication using anxiolytic and relaxing agents prior to surgery is a common phenomen in many patients. In our prospective study of 356 patients undergoing prolonged surgical procedures (greater than 3 h), we evaluated the preoperative ethanol level of the blood using gas-chromatography. In 39 (10.9%) of 307 tumor patients ethanol could be detected in high concentrations, indicating the ingestion of disinfectants. Among our 49 orthognathic cases blood alcohol was found in 4 cases (8.2%). Since the minimum effective dose for ethanol ist 0.1 to 0.2 g/l, the patients' legal capacity when giving informed consent for surgery and anesthesia is to be questioned and the risks of analgosedation in outpatient must be considered.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie Medizinische Hochschule Hannover.
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Neukam
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schliephake
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmelzeisen
mesh_terms: D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000523:psychology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007569:Jaw Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D016743:Mental Competency; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012651:Self Medication
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol
vernacular_title: Präoperative Blutalkoholkonzentrationen bei stationären Patienten mit Langzeiteingriffen.