General anaesthesia for the mentally handicapped. A study based on anaesthesia for dental surgery.

The establishment of a general anaesthetic unit for dental surgery in a hospital for the mentally subnormal is described. The problems encountered in sedating the mentally handicapped patient in such a way as to permit an unhindered induction of anaesthesia are described together with the evolution of a technique of premedication using nitrazepam and droperidol. The medical problems complicating anaesthesia found in this group of patients are enumerated and their effects on the development of a suitable anaesthetic technique are described.