Ethrane anaesthesia for caesarean section.

Fifty patients scheduled for elective Caesarean section were anaesthetised with nitrous oxide, oxygen, relaxant, and 0,5 - 1,5% Ethrane. The mothers were tilted laterally throughout the operation. Analysis of the maternal blood gas status before induction and at delivery revealed a mild respiratory alkalosis with an associated metabolic acidosis. The mean modified Apgar score (Apgar minus colour) of the infants 1 minute after delivery, was 7/8. All infants achieved the maximum score at 5 minutes. Blood gas studies on umbilical cord blood indicated a relative lack of fetal acidaemia. The results suggest that Ethrane does not cause significant perinatal depression, and that fetoplacental exchange is well maintaned during anaesthesia. The anaesthetic was well tolerated by the mothers and there were no instances of factual recall, no cardiac arrhythmias were observed, no significant hypotension was encountered and blood loss was average.