USE OF N2O/O2/ ENFLURANE ANESTHESIA FOR DENTAL TREATMENT OF THE HANDICAPPED

To develop an anesthesia maintenance method that could be expected to maintain a reasonably stable state during dental treatment of the handicapped, three methods ( N2O O2 [0% enflurane (E), n = 12], N2O/O2/0.6% E [n = 8], N2O/O2/1.5% E [n = 7]) were evaluated in terms of changes in plasma levels of cortisol, epinephrine (EP), and norepinephrine (NE). During a treatment period of 60 minutes, cortisol levels increased in the O% E group (from 9.5 ± 1.8 μg/dL to 19.4 ± 2.4 μg/dL, P < .01), did not change in 0.6% E group, and decreased in 1.5% E group (from 9.3 ± 1.7 μg/dL to 5.8 ± 1.0 μg/dL, P < .01). Epinephrine and NE levels increased in the 0% E group, but were suppressed in the 0.6% E and 1.5% E groups. It is suggested that N2O O2 inhalation anesthesia supplemented with low-dose enflurane produces a stable state during dental treatment with respect to cortisol, EP, and NE responses. © 1991.