Sumatriptan relieves and prevents peri-operative migraine attacks.

The novel use of sumatriptan as an adjunct to the management of general anaesthesia in patients with a history of migraine is described. In two unpremedicated patients awaiting day surgery an acute pre-operative attack of migraine was successfully terminated by the injection of sumatriptan, allowing surgery to proceed uneventfully under general anaesthesia without postoperative complications. Two other patients with a history of severe habitual vomiting after general anaesthesia, who also had a history of migraine, were each given a prophylactic injection of sumatriptan after induction of anaesthesia and for the first time emerged from general anaesthesia free of these distressing complications.