Abstract
Cases of sudden death occurring on the operating table over a 12.5-year period were reviewed to assess the part played by the anesthetic in the death of the patient. in the 12.5 years 54128 anesthetics were administered for all types of operations. During the period 38 deaths occurred within a few minutes of the operation or during the procedure. 27 of these 38 were ascribed to anesthesia during general or spinal anesthesia. The number of anesthetic deaths per 1000 anesthetics was .677. 18 of the 27 anesthetic-related deaths occurred in blacks (66%). The hospital reporting (Duke) has fewer than 15% black enrollees annually. 4 patients died during anesthesia who were receiving ether. The deaths except for 1 due to aspiration of vomitus were probably due to overdosage. 3 deaths occurred with cyclopropane use. And 2 cases died under nitrous oxide. If ages and preoperative conditions of patients who died are taken into consideration the most dangerous agents were avertin-ether with a death rate of 1.85/1000 and cyclopropane with a rate of .691/1000. Administration of ether through an oral or tracheal catheter to patients whose faces are obscured by draping (eye operations) is too dangerous. Spinal anesthesia is debilitated acutely ill patients with low blood pressure may hasten death but it also offers certain advantages not found with other types of anesthesia.
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