[Apropos of complications following the use of methylmethacrylate. Possible prevention by betamethasone].

The aim of this study was to determine whether the prior injection of betamethasone was capable of preventing blood pressure changes and the fall in arterial pO2 when following the fixation of total hip protheses with methyl metacrylate. It involved 54 patients in whom systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure (BP), arterial pO2, pCO2 and heart rate were noted at different times: T1, 15 minutes after the beginning of the operation; T2 and T3, one minute and five minutes after application of the cement; T4, at the end of the operation. There was no significant difference between the various measurements at times T1, T2, and T3 as far as blood pressure and heart rate were concerned. By contrast, there was a fall in pO2 at times T2 and T2 in relation to times T1 and T4. This fall was significant (p is less than 0.01) but never theless remained moderate. The possible influence of betamethasone is discussed.