Effects of halothane and enflurane on right ventricular performance in hearts of dogs anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium.

The effects of enflurane and halothane on contractile force of the right ventricle were compared using the Walton-Brodie strain gage arch and pulmonary artery catheter data in dogs anesthetized with pentobarbital. Twenty mongrel dogs were studied to determine the effects of the two anesthetics on contractile force during a 30-minute exposure to four approximate multiples of MAC: 0.75, 1.