[Preoperative blood alcohol levels in patients hospitalized for prolonged surgical procedures].
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.
Neukam
F W
FW
Klinik und Poliklinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie Medizinische Hochschule Hannover.
Strauss
J
J
Schliephake
H
H
Schmelzeisen
R
R
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
D000431:Ethanol
Präoperative Blutalkoholkonzentrationen bei stationären Patienten mit Langzeiteingriffen.