Anesthetic problems with aspirin-intolerant patients.

Sixty-seven aspirin-sensitive asthmatic patients underwent a total of 89 operative procedures. Wheezing with induction, intraoperative tachycardia and arrhythmias, and postoperative wheezing were the major problems in their anesthetic course. Wheezing was encountered despite various induction technics. Preoperative steroids, aminophylline, and ephedrine appeared necessary for surgical preparation, but the presence of aminophylline and ephedrine predisposed to tachycardia under anesthesia. The appearance of mild preoperative wheezing allows the prediction of postoperative wheezing in a significant number of patients.