The cardiovascular responses to double lumen endobronchial intubation and the effect of esmolol.

Abstract

The cardiovascular responses to double lumen endobronchial intubation and the effect of esmolol were examined in two groups of 10 ASA 2 & 3 patients undergoing pulmonary surgery in a double blind, placebo-controlled study. Endobronchial intubation was associated with a significant increase in arterial pressure and heart rate (p = 0.004), and a significant increase in plasma noradrenaline concentrations (p < 0.01) in the control group. The haemodynamic changes were smaller (p < 0.001) in the patients who received esmolol compared with the changes in the the control group. The increase in plasma noradrenaline concentrations was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the esmolol group. The pressor response to endobronchial intubation in this study was of a similar magnitude to that known to occur in response to tracheal intubation.