Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Dec 1992
Alfentanil-induced hypermetabolism, seizure, and histopathology in rat brain.
We evaluated the effect of alfentanil on hippocampal glucose utilization and histopathology associated with alfentanil-induced seizures. Three separate experiments were performed. First, anesthetized, paralyzed Long-Evans rats (n = 15; 5 rats per group) were mechanically ventilated and randomly assigned to three groups: (a) control, 70% N2O and 30% O2 continued for 1 h; (b) low-dose alfentanil (150 micrograms/kg i.v. bolus), followed by infusion at 15 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1 for 1 h without N2O; or (c) high-dose alfentanil (1000 micrograms/kg i.v. bolus), followed by infusion at 100 micrograms.kg-1 x min-1 for 1 h without N2O. ⋯ After tracheal extubation, the rats recovered overnight. Light-microscopic evaluation revealed hippocampal or amygdaloid damage in 6 of the 10 alfentanil-treated rats. High doses of alfentanil administered to rats can produce limbic system seizure activity with hypermetabolism associated with neuropathologic lesions.