Determination of the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) and physical response to sevoflurane inhalation in horses.
- Journal Article
Summary
The paper investigates the amount of sevoflurane (a type of anesthetic) required to keep horses still during dental procedures and their physical reactions to this anesthetic. The results show that sevoflurane might be a useful anesthetic for horses.
Determination of Minimum Alveolar Concentration
The research revolves around determining the minimum amount of sevoflurane, known as the minimum alveolar concentration or (MAC), necessary to keep horses from moving in response to electrical stimulation to the oral mucous membranes. This test is conducted to:
- Understand the efficiency of sevoflurane in curtailing any significant, intentional movements of the horse during medical interventions.
- Establish a baseline MAC for use in future studies or practical applications.
The researchers concluded that the MAC of sevoflurane in horses is 2.31 +/- 0.11%, meaning that’s the minimum concentration required to keep a horse effectively anesthetized.
Physical Responses to Sevoflurane Inhalation
The study also observed how horses physically respond to sevoflurane. Key findings were:
- Horses were found to demonstrate good ventilation, without any signs of airway irritation like coughing. This suggests that sevoflurane may not pose significant respiratory threats or discomfort during its administration.
- There was a slight excitement in horses before they became reclined, suggesting an initial response to the sevoflurane.
Usefulness of Sevoflurane
From the established MAC and the observed physical responses, the research concludes that sevoflurane could be a clinically beneficial anesthetic for use in horses. The end tidal sevoflurane concentration (ESC), essentially the amount of sevoflurane at the end of an exhalation, that brought about recumbency was 2.54 +/- 0.11%. The ability of sevoflurane to cause recumbency at this concentration (indicating effective anesthesia) coupled with its observed minimal airway irritation points towards its potential usability and effectiveness as an anesthetic agent in horses.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, Tokyo.
MeSH Terms
- Anesthesia Recovery Period
- Anesthesia, Inhalation / veterinary
- Anesthetics / pharmacology
- Animals
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Ethers / pharmacology
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Methyl Ethers
- Pain Measurement / veterinary
- Sevoflurane
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Gozalo-Marcilla M, Ringer SK. Recovery after General Anaesthesia in Adult Horses: A Structured Summary of the Literature. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jun 14;11(6).
- Tokushige H, Kushiro A, Okano A, Maeda T, Ito H, Wakuno A, Nagata SI, Ohta M. Clinical evaluation of constant rate infusion of alfaxalone-medetomidine combined with sevoflurane anesthesia in Thoroughbred racehorses undergoing arthroscopic surgery. Acta Vet Scand 2018 Sep 4;60(1):50.
- Wakuno A, Maeda T, Kodaira K, Kikuchi T, Ohta M. Anesthetic management with sevoflurane combined with alfaxalone-medetomidine constant rate infusion in a Thoroughbred racehorse undergoing a long-time orthopedic surgery. J Equine Sci 2017;28(3):111-115.
- Paula VV, Otsuki DA, Auler Júnior JO, Nunes TL, Ambrósio AM, Fantoni DT. The effect of premedication with ketamine, alone or with diazepam, on anaesthesia with sevoflurane in parrots (Amazona aestiva). BMC Vet Res 2013 Jul 17;9:142.
- Ohta M, Kurimoto S, Ishikawa Y, Tokushige H, Mae N, Nagata S, Mamada M. Cardiovascular effects of dobutamine and phenylephrine infusion in sevoflurane-anesthetized Thoroughbred horses. J Vet Med Sci 2013 Nov;75(11):1443-8.
