A prospective study of hepatocellular function after repeated exposures to halothane or enflurane in women undergoing radium therapy for cervical cancer.

Ninety-nine Black females receiving radium therapy for carcinoma of the cervix uteri under either halothane (50 patients) or enflurane (49 patients) anaesthesia were studied. Thirty-six received a second and 13 a third exposure to halothane or enflurane. There were no significant changes from the control values in the serum concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (s.g.o.t.), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (gammaGT), lactic dehydrogenase (SLD), alkaline phosphatase (SAP) and proteins. Total serum bilirubin (TSB) decreased significantly during the first exposure to enflurane (P less than 0.01). This trend was reversed with subsequent anaesthetics in both the halothane and enflurane groups.