Propofol and methohexital as anesthetic agents for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): a comparison of seizure-quality measures and vital signs.

In a randomized crossover study, the influence of the anesthetics methohexital and propofol on EEG seizure parameters, seizure-quality measures, vital signs, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (ETCO2) was investigated; 146 treatments of 31 patients were analyzed. Significant differences were observed between agents for mean postictal pulse and blood pressure values. With methohexital, there was a clear postictal increase of mean blood pressure from 126/78 mm Hg to 161/102 mm Hg, whereas there was no increase with propofol (p = 0.00), and with methohexital, a postictal increase of the mean pulse rate from 81 to 90 beats/min and a slight decrease with propofol (79 to 78 beats/min). There were no differences in the SpO2 and ETCO2. The mean seizure duration for unilateral treatments was significantly longer with methohexital (52.7 s) compared with propofol (34.1 s; p = 0.000), but there was no difference for the seizure-quality measures: postictal suppression index (propofol 79.7%, methohexital 77.4%) and mean integrated amplitude (30.2/31.8) were the same for both anesthetic agents. The results show that differences in seizure duration are unrelated to seizure-quality measures.

Operative results in hypertensive intracerebral hematomas in patients over 60.

In a retrospective study, we analyzed the operative results of 300 patients over 60 years with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhages treated from September 1981 to June 1995 at the Department of Neurosurgery, Landesnervenklinik Salzburg. The patients underwent surgery for hypertensive hemorrhages measuring 30 mm or more on CT scan. The postoperative results were assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Score, which showed that the postoperative mortality was 31.3%; 22% of the patients made a good or very good recovery. The mode of selecting the intracerebral hematomas by size and location to achieve good results with surgical treatment is discussed. The authors consider surgery beneficial for selected cases.

[The role of ozone within the scope of the "Figurella Program"]. / Zur Rolle des Ozons im Rahmen des "Figurella-Programms".

The method given by the slimming institute "Figurella International", to lose weight without applying chemistry or dieting, is scrutinized critically. The ozone treatment, one of the compounds of the method, proves to be useless. To overcome the general problem caused by photochemical oxidants the company should be set under pressure to stand back from producing ozone, which proves to be a major air pollutant but not to have any effect on the result of the slimming programme.

[Bloodgas changes during heart catheterisation in children under basal sedation (author' transl)]. / Das Verhalten der Blutgase während der Herzkatheteruntersuchung bei Kindern unter einer Basissedierung

A form of basic sedation for cardiac catheterisation in children with congenital heart disease is described. The drugs used (Toronto cardiac mixture, papaveretum--hyoscine respectively) offer a true alternative to general anesthesia. Blood gases and acid-base status of 32 children aged two days to twelve years were investigated. The observed tendency towards metabolic acidosis is believed to be related to the angiographic contrast medium.