SummaryThe carbon dioxide laser, when used in the airway, poses theproblem for the anaesthetist of thepossibility of ignition of the tracheal tube. The means available to prevent this disaster are discussed.
Southampton
SUMMARYDay case adjustable suture squint surgery is limited by patient cooperation in the early post-operative period.Nausea is common and may be exacerbated by adjust ment. To facilitate early adjustment, in 37 consecutive patients anaesthesia was induced with propofol and the airway maintained with a largyngeal mask. Before and after adjustment patients recorded their level of nausea on a visual analogue scale (1 = no nausea, 10 = vomit ing). The mean age of the group was 31.9 years with 20 men and 17 women. Adjustment was performed at a mean time of 4.9 hours after surgery. On the analogue scale of nausea the mean score was 1.54 pre-adjustment and 1.73 post-adjustment. Only 1 patient was given a post-operative anti-emetic. All patients were sufficiently alert to adjust without difficulty and were discharged the In an attempt to overcome these difficulties we have carried out adjustable suture squint surgery using anaes thetic methods known to promote swift recovery with minimal discomfort. Propofol is an intravenous anaes thetic agent used to induce (and maintain) anaesthesia, from which recovery is rapid and nausea minimal.6 The laryngeal mask is an increasingly popular device designed to reduce the complications associated with conventional endotracheal intubation.7
PATIENTS AND METHODSA prospective observational study was carried out on 37consecutive patients undergoing adjustable suture squint surgery. All were planned as day cases, surgery being At the end ofthe afternoon patients were assessed, with a view to discharge should they be sufficiently alert and
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