High-Dose Narcotic Anesthesia Using Sufentanil in Swine for Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiologic Studies

A protocol for high-dose narcotic anesthesia using sufentanil by intravenous infusion was developed in swine undergoing cardiac catheterization and intracardiac electrophysiologic studies. In experiments involving cardiac conduction system ablation, nine swine received intramuscular ketamine, 33 mg/kg, and intramuscular acepromazine, 1.1 mg/kg, as premedication. An infusion of sufentanil (15 mcg/kg/h) was started followed by a loading dose of sufentanil (7 mcg/kg) given as a bolus intravenously. A continuous infusion of sufentanil (15-30 mcg/kg/h) was used for maintenance anesthesia. Since the development of this protocol, we have been able to achieve stable hemodynamics and cardiac rhythms for intracardiac electrophysiologic studies.