Psychomotor performance following exposure to trace concentrations of inhalation anesthetics.

Using three psychomotor tasks administered three times each at 2-week intervals, we studied the performances of 18 control subjects and 18 subjects who were routinely and daily exposed to trace concentrations of anesthetic gases in the course of their clinical practice. No significant differences attributable to exposure to trace concentrations of anesthetics were detected. It is concluded that laboratory studies may overestimate the degree of alteration of psychomotor skills associated with exposure to trace concentrations of inhalation anesthetics.