title: Description of a technique for anaesthetizing pregnant ewes for fetal surgery.
abstract: General anaesthesia in 12 pregnant ewes undergoing surgery for fetal physiological research was supplemented with an intravenous infusion of remifentanil. This allowed us to employ a lighter plane of surgical anaesthesia and to use intermittent positive pressure ventilation. Our aim was to improve fetomaternal outcome. We monitored maternal pulse, blood pressure, transcutaneous oxygen saturation and end-tidal carbon dioxide levels. Remifentanil doses of 0.75-2.0 microg/kg/min were needed and typically this allowed halothane concentrations of 1-1.5% to be used for maintenance of anaesthesia. Surgery lasted up to 2.5 h. All 12 ewes and their singleton fetuses survived the peri- and postoperative period in good condition.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Anaesthesia, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Cara
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ramsay
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Aitkenhead
mesh_terms: D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D000818:Animals; D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous / Q000662:veterinary; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000601:surgery*; D006221:Halothane / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010880:Piperidines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011247:Pregnancy; D011674:Pulse; D000077208:Remifentanil; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D010880:Piperidines; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000077208:Remifentanil; D010100:Oxygen; D006221:Halothane