Anaesthesia for lower limb amputation. A comparison of spinal analgesia and general anaesthesia in the elderly.
Amputation of the lower limb for vascular disease has a high morbidity and mortality. A comparative study in 60 patients was carried out between spinal analgesia with sedation and general anaesthesia with controlled ventilation which maintained end expiratory carbon dioxide 4-4.5 k Pa. The spinal technique had advantages over general anaesthesia during surgery and in the first 24 hours, but no long term benefits. Meticulous pre-operative preparation, intra-operative care and careful postoperative management, including monitoring of end expiratory carbon dioxide tension, appeared to be major factors contributing towards the low morbidity and mortality.
D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000401:mortality; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007385:Intermittent Positive-Pressure Ventilation; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D010313:Partial Pressure; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D002245:Carbon Dioxide