Nerve Impulse Conduction It is essential that perioperative practitioners have an understanding of nerve conduction, as many drugs used in the operating theatre have an…
An introduction to the autonomic nervous system As many procedures and drugs used in anaesthetic practice have a direct influence on the autonomic nervous system,…
Understanding the circle system Although the circle system looks relatively simple, it is a deceptively complex arrangement that needs to be fully understood to use…
An introduction to Pain Pathways This module provides a basic overview of the important pain pathways and how they work. It also covers how pain…
Perioperative Hypothermia Inadvertent perioperative hypothermia can occur in up to 40% of surgical patients so it essential for theatre practitioners to know what causes it…
Local Anaesthetic Systemic Toxicity Local anaesthetic systemic toxicity is rare but when it does occur its onset may be sudden and life-threatening so it is…
Acute limb compartment syndromes Compartment syndrome (CS) is a medical emergency, which needs to be recognised by those involved with the provision of anaesthesia surgery…
Paediatric Trauma Anatomical and physiological differences in children require special consideration and most seriously injured children have multiple injuries. This module is mainly for those…
Predicting difficult airways Proper airway assessment is essential and takes less than 2 minutes. This can give an indication of a potential difficult airway. This…
Sickle cell disease Sickle cell disease is a disorder of the blood caused by an inherited abnormal haemoglobin. The abnormal haemoglobin causes distorted (sickled) red…
Tracheostomy fundamentals Tracheostomies are becoming more common and the consequences of a misplaced tube can be serious so a good understanding of them is essential.…
Suxamethonium Apnoea This module describes the action of suxamethonium, the inheritance of suxamethonium apnoea, and the non-inherited conditions that can also cause it. The presentation…
Anaesthesia for the patient with a cardiac transplant For patients who have previously received a cardiac transplant, coming to theatre for non-related surgery is no…
Cardiac Tamponade Cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening emergency that impairs the ability of the heart to fill and to pump. Although not strictly a perioperative…
Understanding local anaesthetics This module discusses the pharmacology of local anaesthetic agents and then briefly describes the various additives that can be used with these…
Rapid Sequence Induction Rapid sequence induction (RSI) is a method of achieving rapid control of the airway whilst minimising the risk of regurgitation and aspiration…
Changes in Pregnancy Relevant to Anaesthesia Pregnancy causes major physiological changes to the mother’s body. An understanding of these changes is the key to safe…
Arterial Blood Gas Analysis This module explains how to do a simple easy to understand arterial blood gas analysis. How to use the 5-step approach…
COPD and Anaesthesia Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a commonly encountered respiratory disorder. Patients with COPD pose a challenge to the anaesthetist because intraoperative…
The Difficult Paediatric Airway There are anatomical and physiological differences between the infant, child and adult that make even the normal paediatric airway difficult for…
Apnoea & Pre-oxygenation Pre-oxygenation is used in anaesthesia to prolong the time to desaturation during a period of apnoea, such as frequently happens upon induction.…
Paediatric Anaesthetic Emergencies: Pt 2 Paediatric anaesthetic emergencies can happen faster and leave less time to react the in adults. They present complex, potentially life-threatening…
Understanding your ECG: a review Health professionals use the electrocardiograph (ECG) rhythm strip to systematically analyse the cardiac rhythm. Before the systematic process of ECG…
Parkinson’s Disease & Anaesthesia Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system the causes of which are poorly understood. This module covers…
Understanding & Establishing Intraosseous Access Intraosseous (IO) access is an alternative method to providing venous administration of drugs and fluids. Commonly used by the military…
Amniotic Fluid Embolism Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE) is a rare but potentially fatal syndrome that is unique to pregnancy. AFE has emerged as one of…
Physiological effects of transfer for critically ill patients Critically ill patients can be exposed to significant physiological changes during transfer that can lead to significant instability…
The effects of anaesthesia on respiratory function. This tutorial will explain how anaesthesia affects the respiratory system and how these effects can be managed. Length…
Urea & Electrolytes: a review Urea and electrolytes (U&Es) are the most frequently requested biochemistry tests. They provide useful information about several aspects of health,…
Spinal Anaesthesia Spinal anaesthetic, also known as a spinal block, is administered by injecting local anaesthetic, into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) just below the end…