[Ethrane in anaesthesia for children--measurement of cardiac output by impedance-cardiography (author's transl)].

Ethrane permits a very smooth and quick introduction of anaesthesia per inhalationem without signs of any excitation due to its physical properties. Because of its low analgesic property it was necessary to administer nitrous oxide. After the interruption of Tthrane--administration our patients awoke without any nausea or vomiting. In our study we measured stroke-volume and cardiac output during and after Ethrane anaesthesia using the IFM-Minnesota Impedance Cardiograph 304 A. In the first ten minutes of anaesthesia we found a 23 per cent-decrease of strokevolume, a 19 per cent cardiac output-decrease whereas the heartrate rose slightly. Any further significant changes of these parameters up to the end of anaesthesia were not detectable. Already two minutes after the end of Ethrane-administration all parameters had reached their initial values.