Oxygen for Acute Respiratory Depression Due to Administration of Thiopental Sodium

It is a well-recognized fact that barbiturates produce respiratory depression when administered intravenously, since their action as anesthetics is associated with depression of respiratory activity. For this reason it seemed worthwhile to compare the effects of thiopental (Pentothal) sodium on arterial blood oxygen of 18 patients undergoing a simple surgical procedure with the effects of administering oxygen simultaneously with the thiopental sodium to another group of 10 patients. In this group of 28 female patients, between the ages of 19 and 37, all had a diagnosis of incomplete abortion and were brought to surgery for a therapeutic dilation and curettage. Except for the presence of mild to severe anemias there were no other complicating medical conditions. PROCEDURE All patients were given 1/150 grain (0.4 mg.) of atropine as premedication one hour before surgery. Under local anesthesia a Cournand needle was placed in either the radial or brachial artery. There were