Cardiovascular Reactions During Abdominal Surgery

The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias and arterial hypotension subsequent to standardized surgical stimuli in patients undergoing thoracotomy. With reference to enflurane and halothane

“…We found that surgical traction of the lung hilus provoked arterial hypotension in 64% of the patients when halothane-oxygen anaesthesia was used, but in only 35% of the patients when enflurane-oxygen was employed. The total frequency of arterial hypotension was, as expected, lower than that found by Folkow et al and Rocco & Vandam (9,11). They found arterial hypotension in between 80% and 100 yo, respectively, as a response to surgical manipulation of the abdominal viscera.…”

“…It is well known that surgical traction of the viscera may release reflexes which can cause arterial hypotension (5,(9)(10)(11)(12), The afferent as well as the efl'erent pathways of these traction reflexes have been suggested to be sympathetic fibres. The mechanism involved in the haemodynamic aspect is that of a sudden change in the size of the resistance and capacitance vessels, resulting in arterial hypotension.…”

Evaluation of opioid‐induced antinociceptive effects in anaesthetized and conscious animals

“…Distension of the intestines, a procedure known to cause visceral pain in man (Procacci et al, 1979;Swarbrick et al, 1980), has also been shown to evoke cardiovascular depressor responses and bradycardia during abdominal surgery (Folkow et al, 1962). Similar circulatory effects occur following distension of the ileum (Lembeck & Skofitsch, 1982), renal pelvis (Brasch & Zetler, 1982) or duodenum (Moss & Sanger, 1987) in anaesthetized rats.…”

“…Various models have been described in anaesthetized animals in which reflex cardiovascular changes have been evaluated following application of chemical (Downman et al, 1948;Ferreira et al, 1973;Moncada et al, 1975) or thermal (Downman et al, 1948) noxious stimuli. Distension of the intestines, a procedure known to cause visceral pain in man (Procacci et al, 1979;Swarbrick et al, 1980), has also been shown to evoke cardiovascular depressor responses and bradycardia during abdominal surgery (Folkow et al, 1962). Similar circulatory effects occur following distension of the ileum (Lembeck & Skofitsch, 1982), renal pelvis (Brasch & Zetler, 1982) or duodenum (Moss & Sanger, 1987) in anaesthetized rats.…”