[Halothane or enflurane treatment in life-threatening asthma].

We performed inhalation anesthetic therapy in an attempt to produce improvement in cause of life-threatening asthma, which were standard pharmacological therapy. We analysed the results obtained in 6 cases given inhalation anesthetic therapy (4 cases were treated with halothane and 2 cases with enflurane). The following observations were made: 1) The criteria for starting inhalation anesthetic therapy were persistent hypoxycemia or hypercapnia, persistently high inspiratory intra-airway pressure, clinical exhaustion and bronchial toilet with bronchofiberscope. 2) We treated the patients with halothane concentrations of between 1.0 and 2.0% and enflurane concentrations of between 1.0 to 4.2%. 3) No major complications were observed in inhalation anesthetic therapy.