GENERAL ANAESTHESIA FOR CAESAREAN SECTION IN SEVERE PRE-ECLAMPSIA: Comparison of the renal and hepatic effects of enflurane and halothane

In a randomized study of patients undergoing Caesarean section,either enflurane (mean 0.24 MAC-h) or halothane (mean 0.23 MAC-h)and 50% nitrous oxide in oxygen were administered to women (n= 12) with severe pre-eclampsia-eclampsia and to 16 healthypregnant patients with normal renal and hepatic function. Noevidence of nephrotoxicity was found in any pre-eclamptic ornormal patient. Metabolism of enflurane resulted in plasma inorganicfluoride concentrations (max 15 µmol litre^–1) whichwere well below the toxic value. Postoperative liver functiontests showed no important changes from preoperative values,although reductive metabolites of halothane were not measured.In patients with severe pre-eclampsia there appears no contraindicationto enflurane or, probably, halothane as volatile supplementsduring general anaesthesia. * Present address: Department of Anaesthetics, Queen VictoriaHospital, Rose Park, Adelaide, Australia