Nitrous oxide does not influence operating conditions or postoperative course in colonic surgery.
We studied 150 patients undergoing elective colonic surgery; they were allocated randomly to undergo artificial ventilation with either air-oxygen or nitrous oxide-oxygen during surgery. Eleven patients were excluded. Preoperative management, surgery and postoperative analgesia were similar in both groups. Anaesthesia included propofol by infusion, pancuronium and fentanyl 3 micrograms kg-1 h-1. The air-oxygen group required a continuous infusion of propofol of 4-6 mg kg-1 h-1 whereas the nitrous oxide-oxygen group required only 1-2 mg kg-1 h-1. There were no differences between the groups in duration of anaesthesia, distension of the bowel and postoperative bowel function. The postoperative hospital stay was similar for both groups.
Krogh
B
B
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
Jørn Jensen
P
P
Henneberg
S W
SW
Hole
P
P
Kronborg
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013997:Time Factors
D009609:Nitrous Oxide