[General anesthesia without nitrogen monoxide. Its use in abdominal surgery]. / Anestesia generale senza protossido d'azoto. Impiego in chirurgia addominale.

In view of the problems relating to the routine use of nitrogen monoxide in general anesthesia, the authors drew up an anesthesiological protocol excluding the use of N2O and replacing its analgesic effect with higher doses of fentanyl and a higher inspired percentage of isoflurane. Twenty-three patients due to undergo abdominal surgery were included in the study. The established anesthetic protocol was evaluated by the constant measurement of PAOS/D and heart rate, as well as lacrimation and sweating. Satisfactory results were achieved using this protocol in almost all patients, although further modifications to the protocol are planned to make the technique more stable and manageable.

[Subarachnoid anesthesia and peridural anesthesia: which are the causes of total failure? A clinical case]. / Anestesia sub-aracnoidea e anestesia peridurale: quali le cause di un completo insuccesso? Caso clinico.

The paper reports the case of patient undergoing cystoscopy and subsequently radical cystectomy suffering from BPCO and pulmonary emphysema who received sub-arachnoid anesthesia during the first operation and peridural anesthesia during the second, with total failure both times. The techniques were correctly performed and on both occasions it was necessary to resort to general anesthesia in order to perform the operation.