ANAESTHETICS WHEN ALL TEETH EXTRACTED

Chronicle (Levin), 28 March 1947, Page 7

ANAESTHETICS WHEN ALL TEETH EXTRACTED

rresc j.ssociation

3v Tele?"~?h —

DUNEDIN, Marcli 27. Wheu general anaesthetics were adininistered for the extraction of a t'ull nioutli of teeth the operatiou should Lake place at a properiy prepared hospilal, said Dr. D'Ath (Professor oi I'athology at the Otago Medical «chool; wheu giving cvidence at au inquest into the death of an apprentice electrieian. iiis opinion was supported by Dr. F. Lv. Keuiiie, who said that it would be uiore prudeut for extractious of this uature always to be undcrtaken at a properiy equipj^ed hospital. xVs things were today, he added, the number oi i'ull mouth extractious that were being done could not be accoinmodated at the hospital. 'j.'he deau of the dental sclrool (Dr. J. P. Wajsh) claimed that single induction anaesthetics were not suitable for niuitiple extractious, although he admitted that they wcrc widcly used. in his opinion the only safe way was endotrachca anaesthesia, in which a large tube was passed down into the windpipe to providc continuous auaes thesia, and to pcrmit the windpipe to be absolutely packed against the pas sage of debris and other foreign mutter. The inquest concerned the death on February 27 of Gerald Potter Walsli, an apprentice electrieian, aged 18 years. The Coroner, Mr. J. Willis, S.M., re turued a verdict that the deceased had died from asphyxia as a result of the lodgment of a piece of sponge in the windpipe under an anaesthetie for teeth extraction.