Use of ICI 35868 as an anesthetic induction agent.

ICI 35868 was used to induce anesthesia in 39 ASA I patients (9 male and 30 female, aged 17-64 years), scheduled to undergo minor surgical procedures. The first 6 patients were given 1.0 mg/kg, the next 22 1.5 mg/kg and the final 11 2.0 mg/kg ICI 35868 I.V. over 30 seconds, without premedication. Anesthesia was successfully induced in 100% of patients at 2.0 mg/kg, 81% at 1.5 mg/kg and 50% at 1.0 mg/kg. Pain at the injection site occurred in 23% of patients. There were no signs of venous damage postoperatively. A small transient fall in blood pressure and some respiratory depression were seen immediately after induction; transient apnoea occurred in 27% of patients given 1.5 mg/kg and 55% given 2.0 mg/kg. Other side effects were minor and of low incidence. Three minutes after induction of anesthesia, when assessments were complete, 23 patients were given a further dose of a conventional induction agent, as they were beginning to awaken, and anesthesia was maintained in all patients by inhalational techniques. There were no untoward events during maintenance of or on recover from anesthesia.