Circulating fluoride changes and hepatorenal function following sevoflurane anaesthesia

Abstract

Sevoflurane, a new volatile inhalational agent, undergoes biotransformation to fluoride which is potentially nephrotoxic. We compared the effects of sevoflurane or isoflurane anaesthesia on hepatorenal function and serum fluoride concentrations in 50 ASA 1‐3patients undergoing major intra‐abdominal surgery. No patient developed renal or hepatic dysfunction. Mean (SEM) peak fluoride concentrations were 23.1 (1.5) μmol.l‐1for sevoflurane and 5.4 (0.4) μmol.l‐1 for isoflurane (p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation in the sevoflurane group between the total dose of agent (MAC h), the total fluoride production (r = 0 78, p = 0.0001) and peak fluoride concentration (r = 0.57, p = 0.003). There was no correlation between these variables in the isoflurane group. Copyright © 1994, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved