ROLE OF DIFFERENT ANAESTHETIC TECHNIQUES IN INCIDENCE OF EARLY POSTANAESTHETIC SICKNESS

Summary: Postanaesthetic sickness was observed for the first hour after operation in 167 women. Dilatation and curettage was performed in 95. Each was given atropine before thiopentone induction of anaesthesia. In 45 patients anaesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide and oxygen, and in 55 with open-drop ether. There was no significant difference in the incidence of sickness between the two series. Abdominal hysterectomy was performed in 72 patients. Each was given atropine before thiopentone induction. Anaesthesia was maintained in 36 patients with nitrous oxide and oxygen and in 36 with 2 per cent ether in air using an EMO Inhaler and Oxford Inflating Bellows. The incidence of sickness was significantly less in the ether group and this may be attributable to the uniformly low level of ether obtained using this technique. © 1969 John Sherratt and Son Ltd.