[Interference between histamine liberation and drugs used in anesthesiology. Prevention and treatment of the complications of histamine liberation].

The authors report the complications associated with the administration of some anaesthetics using propanidide. In one of the controls, premedication using an antihistamine was sufficient to avoid, during a third administration of propanidide, complications which included a fall in blood pressure and which had occurred when the second anaesthetic had been given. In one patient with high plasma histamine concentrations, circulatory arrest occurred during the second and third anaesthetic, despite meclastinum. Only the addition of a glucocorticoid to the premedication made possible an anaesthetic without problems. During a third propanidide anaesthetic given to this same patient, we were able to confirm our hypothesis by a premedication combining meclastinum and a glucocorticoid, despite the high plasma histamine level found. In certain other cases, however, plasma histimine concentration did not increase despite the development of erythema and urticaria of the face and neck. Serious complications were successfully dealt with using a combination of glucocorticoids, adrenaline derivatives and an antihistamine.