A comparison of the effects of halothane and other anaesthetic agents on hepato-cellular function in patients submitted to elective operations.

In an attempt to gather objective evidence of possible hepato-cellular toxicity of the halogenated anaesthetics halothane and methoxyflurane pre-operative and post-operative enzyme estimations were done on patients admitted for elective operations. The series of approximately 500 cases included 160 patients submitted to cholecystectomy, an operation associated with a high percentage of detectable alteration of hepatocellular function in the post-operative period. There was no significant difference between the groups of patients receiving halothane, methoxyflurane, or nitrous oxide and oxygen with analgesic supplement. The magnitude of the increased post-operative enzyme activity and the post-operative temperature elevation were not significantly different in the three groups studied.