Intratracheal aerosolized etidocaine to attenuate cardiovascular and cough responses to laryngoscopy and intubation.

Forty-five ASA I or II patients scheduled for elective surgery were randomized into one of three groups. Patients in Group 1 (n = 15) received no intratracheal aerosol at laryngoscopy. Patients in Group 2 (n = 15) and Group 3(n = 15) received 50 mg and 75 mg, respectively, of intratracheal aerosolized etidocaine at laryngoscopy. Cardiovascular and respiratory responses were observed at laryngoscopy and intubation and for the first ten minutes following laryngoscopy and intubation (with anesthesia provided by IV thiopental and nitrous oxide [70%] in oxygen). The magnitude and duration of blood pressure and heart rate increases caused by laryngoscopy and intubation were significantly less in the etidocaine-treated patients than in the controls (P less than .05). The incidence of coughing after intubation also was decreased significantly in the etidocaine-treated patients (P less than .05). Etidocaine did not, however, decrease the incidence of arrhythmias after intubation.