Halothane-induced liver damage: an analysis of the material reported to the Swedish Adverse Drug Reaction Committee, 1966-1973.

An analysis of 94 reports to the Swedish Adverse Drug Reaction Committee of patients with liver injury after surgery and halothane anaesthesia (including 13 fatal cases) has not been able to reveal any other factors responsible for the liver injury than the halothane administration. Eighty-two per cent of the total material and 12 out of 13 fatal cases had had multiple exposures. Our results suggest that the liver injury becomes more severe after repeated exposures; maximum serum bilirubin and SGOT values are higher after an increasing number of halothane exposures.