Korean J Anesthesiol.  1968 Jan;1(1):31-36.

Arterial Oxygen Saturation following Endotracheal Intubation, Extubation and Suction during General Anesthesia

• Park DH
• Lee CH
• Oh HK

Abstract

Using Water's-X-350 ear oximeter, arterial oxygen saturation was measured during the entire course of general anesthesia with particular reference to endotracheal intubation, extubation and suction in 17 patients, who were grouped into six according to the method of oxygenation. In all patients anesthesia was induced with mtravenous thiopental and subsequent endotracheal intubation was performed with the aid of intravenous succinylcholine. Arterial oxygen saturation was also measured following breath-holding in conscious subjects. The results are as follows: (1) In all patients who were not ventilated with oxygen either prior to or during anesthetic induction, sharp decrease in arterial oxygen saturation was observed during induction of anesthesia and particularly following endotracheal intubation. 2) No significant decrease in arterial oxygen saturation was noted in patients, who were not ventilated with oxygen prior to but during anesthetic induction, either during induction of anesthesia or following endotracheal intubation. (3) In the aboves preanesthetic deep breathing did not considerably improve the arterial oxygenation during anesthesia. (4) In cases for whom preanesthetic denitrogenation had been performed with highf low oxygen but no oxygen was administered during anesthetic induction, there occurred no significant decrease in arterial oxygen saturation not only during induction of anesthesia but also after endotracheal intubation. The authors believe that this anesthetic technique the most recommendable one for the patient with full stomach. (5) In normally oxygenated states, suctioning did not cause any significant fall in arterial oxygen saturation. (6) In view of the likelihood of laryngospasm in conjunction with endotracheal extubation, the authors recommend to perform tracheobroncheal toilet only under normal oxygenation to avoid and minimize hypoxia.

MeSH Terms

Airway Extubation
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General*
Anoxia
Ear
Humans
Intubation, Intratracheal*
Laryngismus
Oxygen*
Respiration
Stomach
Succinylcholine
Suction*
Thiopental
Oxygen
Succinylcholine
Thiopental