Effects of laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation on cerebral and systemic haemodynamics in children under different protocols of anaesthesia.

The effects of laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation on cerebral and systemic haemodynamics were studied in 30 children. The objective was to identify conditions in which the alterations of cerebral and systemic haemodynamics were minimal. The children were intubated after muscular relaxation and following 10 min of mechanical ventilation with end-tidal halothane concentrations of 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%, respectively. With 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5% end-tidal halothane, the mean flow velocity increased by 26%, 19% and 5%, the mean blood pressure by 14%, 10% and 1%, and the heart rate by 26%, 8% and 5% respectively after intubation. Adverse effects of laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation on cerebral haemodynamics in children can be avoided by adequate anaesthetic protocols.