CARDIAC PERFORMANCE DURING CONTROLLED HYPOTENSION

ONTROLLED HYPOTENSION with the aid of C trimethaphan camsylate (Arfonad9 has been used during anesthesia for radical mastectomy at the Mayo Clinic during the past 12 years. Two reports on a total of 10 years’ experience with one surgeon using this technic in 379 patients have been published.’. 2 Although evolutionary changes in the technic have been made relative to anesthetic agents and hypotensive drugs, the method is still used to facilitate surgery and to conserve blood. The results have been sufficiently encouraging to warrant its continued application. Analysis of the experience from 1959 through 1963 in 182 patients has disclosed no morbidity nor mortality associated with controlled hypotension during anesthesia.* The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of this procedure on cardiac performance.