Intravenous Procaine During Thoracic Surgery

Surgery on the heart and paracardial structures or traction on the hilus of the lung may initiate serious arrhythmias which can result in death if not promptly controlled. Procedures involving the pericardium are particularly apt to be followed by severe derangements of rhythm. Thus anesthesiology is faced with another challenge. It is now evident that the intravenous administration of procaine has become a valuable addition to the armamentarium of the anesthesiologist in his endeavor to preserve the integrity of the thread of life while the surgeon carries out his heroic assignment without restrictions