[Difficult intubation in patients with endotracheal prosthesis].

We report a case of two consecutive episodes of difficult intubation in a patient with an endotracheal Dumon's prosthesis inserted two years before. Despite several preanaesthetic visits and ENT examination, the absence of recollection by the patient and the lack of information in her previous medical records led to the impossibility to introduce a normal tube into her trachea during two consecutive anaesthetic procedures. This case points out the limits of preanaesthetic visits.

[Passage of propofol in the colostrum. Preliminary data].

So as to ascertain whether propofol passed into human milk, a study was carried out in five women who had undergone general anaesthesia with propofol in the puerperium. Concentrations of propofol were measured both in plasma and colostrum. The results showed clearly the excretion of propofol in the colostrum, and the similar time-courses of propofol levels in the blood and colostrum; the ratio of concentrations blood:colostrum was close to 1.

[Bronchospasm during extracorporeal circulation].

Six cases of bronchospasm are reported, which occurred at the end of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). One patient developed this condition twice within one year. This was a rare occurrence (6 cases for 3714 CPB).

Side-effects of mixed agonist-antagonist analgesics used in sequential anaesthesia.

1 Mixed agonist-antagonist analgesics have analgesic action but also possess a range of side-effects. 2 Narcotic antagonists do not reverse the non-specific effects of opiates. 3 Under certain circumstances the effects of agonists and mixed agonist-antagonists can be additive.