Haemodynamic effects of irrigating fluids studied by Doppler ultrasonography in volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
To study whether moderate amounts of irrigating fluids induce cardiac stress when infused into healthy volunteers, giving special attention to solutions containing ethanol as a tracer of absorption.


METHODS
Over a period of 20 min, 15 mL/kg of glycine (1% or 1.5%) or 3% mannitol (all containing 1% ethanol) or sorbitol 2%-mannitol 1% (with no ethanol) were infused intravenously into 10 healthy male volunteers. The central haemodynamic responses were studied using Doppler ultrasonography.


RESULTS
Specific and general haemodynamic responses were observed. After infusing glycine there was a reduction of the heart rate and in cardiac output and an elevation of mean arterial pressure, indicating an increase in systemic resistance. There was no improvement when the glycine content was reduced from 1.5% to 1.0%. Furthermore, infusion of all irrigating fluids was associated with a decrease in cardiac output 30 min after the infusion. Almost identical breath-ethanol curves were obtained with the three fluids containing ethanol and all of them caused slight hypoglycaemia. There was no evidence of ethanol-induced tachycardia.


CONCLUSIONS
Irrigating fluids containing glycine and ethanol have a specific haemodynamic effect not occurring with solutions containing mannitol or sorbitol.
Nilsson
A
A
Department of Urology, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Randmaa
I
I
Hahn
R G
RG
D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005998:Glycine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000139:chemically induced; D011897:Random Allocation; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000009:adverse effects; D016482:Urinalysis; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced
D004338:Drug Combinations; D000431:Ethanol; D008353:Mannitol; D013012:Sorbitol; D005998:Glycine