What are the components of the assessment stage of anaesthesia?
What is meant by the term “balanced anaesthesia”?
Mixture of small amounts of several neuronal depressants maximises the benefits (asleep, immobile, comfortable) whilst minimising the risks (resp. depression).
What is typically in the “big” syringe in anaesthesia?
Induction/hypnotic
e.g. propofol, ketamine
What is typically in the “small syringe” in anaesthesia?
Muscle relaxant/pain relief
e.g. non-depolarising muscle relaxant: suxamethonium
depolarising muscle relaxant: rocuronium
e.g. opioids: morphine (0.1-0.2mg/kg), remifentanil (t1/2 = 3min)
What are the components of the induction stage of anaesthesia?
What is the normal appearance of a capnograph? How can appear abnormal?
Square waveforms - indicates chest wall movement, therefore endotracheal tube is in resp. tract
Hypoventilation = delay in measurement (~90s; compare to ECG)
Flatline = indicates dislodged tube/tube not in resp. tract
What are the components of the maintenance stage of anaesthesia?
What is malignant hyperpyrexia?
Increased oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle —> circulatory collapse
What are the components of the emergence stage of anaesthesia?
What are the components of the recovery stage of anaesthesia?
Reminder: define pain.
Unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage; requires consciousness.
Reminder: what are the different types of nociceptors?
A-delta = shap, localised, somatic pain C = dull, diffuse, visceral pain
Reminder: how is nocicpetion transmitted to the brain?
A-delta & C fibres —> dorsal root ganglia —> laminae II & III —-> decussate to spinothalamic tracts —> cortex
What is the first class of drugs on the pain ladder?
Non-opioids:
What is the second class of drugs on the pain ladder?
Add weak opioids:
What is the third class of drugs on the pain ladder?
Strong opioids:
Outline the properties of paracetamol.
Antipyrexic
PO/IV
50kg
Outline the properties of NSAIDs.
Antipyrexic
Useful for inflammatory pain
e.g. ibuprofen, diclofenac (suppository for C section), paracoxib, ketorolac, aspirin
Caution in: renal failure, bleeding, fluid retention, bronchospasm, GI disturbance (esp. if NBM)
Outline the properties of codeine.
Co-codamol OTC
ADRs: N&V, resp. depression, constipation
Outline the properties of tramadol.
?5-HT activity
ADRs: N&V, constipation, dizziness, disorientation (caution in the elderly)
Outline the properties of remifentanil.
Quick-acting
Use infusion to keep constant level
Outline the properties of morphine.
Long-acting
Give to cover before stopping remifentanil
List some examples of adjuncts to analgesics used in anaesthetics.
What is patient controlled anaesthesia? How is it limited?
50mg morphine syringe (1mg/ml)
Lockout interval of 5min
Therefore 1mg/5min
Req. monitoring: resp. rate, consciousness, N&V, O2 sats.
note: blocked tube may prevent analgesia, then flush causes bolus overdose