Bronchospasm during general anaesthesia Bronchospasm is a relatively common event during general anaesthesia. Anaesthetic assistants need to know how to identify and treat bronchospasm. Management…
An Introduction to Paracetamol Paracetamol is a commonly used medicine that can help treat pain and reduce a high temperature. In normal doses it is…
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are medications that relieve or reduce pain. Their actions are analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic. Perioperatively, using NSAIDs…
Malignant Hyperthermia Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare life-threatening condition that is usually triggered by exposure to certain drugs used for general anesthesia. This module…
Understanding Central Venous Lines This module discusses various types of central lines and central venous catheters (CVC). They are often needed in critically ill patients…
Muscle Relaxants; reversal and the use of peripheral nerve stimulators. This module discusses residual block, why, when and how muscle relaxants are reversed, and the…
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…
Total Intravenous Anaesthesia Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is a technique of general anaesthesia which uses a combination of agents given exclusively by the intravenous route…
Understanding vaporisers This updated module explains how modern anaesthetic vaporisers work and the principles behind them. It includes electronic and direct injection vaporisers. Length of…
Inhalation (gas) Induction This module covers inhalation or gas induction. Although it is routine to induce general anaesthesia by the intravenous (IV) route, the inhalational…
Muscle Relaxants: the fundamentals The introduction of neuromuscular blocking drugs revolutionised the practice of anaesthesia. Before the advent of muscle relaxants, anaesthesia was induced and…
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…
Peri-operative Management of Patients on Strong Opioids It is very common to encounter patients on strong opioid medication. These patients present particularly challenging pain management…
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…
Pre-eclampsia and Anaesthetics Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy complication characterised by high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system, often the kidneys. Left…
Diabetes & Anaesthetic Management This module covers the affect of diabetes on the surgical patient and why intraoperative blood glucose control and frequent measurement of…
Paediatric Anaesthetic Emergencies: Pt I Paediatric anaesthetic emergencies can happen faster and leave less time to react then in adults. They present complex, potentially life-threatening…
Postoperative Nausea & Vomiting PONV can be common after surgery, although some patient groups are more prone to this than others. This module discusses this and…
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…
Management of Major Obstetric Haemorrhage Major obstetric haemorrhage is a common cause of maternal morbidity and mortality and the recognition of major obstetric haemorrhage can…
I.V. Induction Agents I.V. induction agents are some of the most commonly used drugs in anaesthetics. This modules shows how and where they work. It…
Sugammadex: an overview Sugammadex is an effective and safe agent for reversing neuromuscular blockade, in particular all depths of rocuronium-induced blockade. Sugammadex provides a real…
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…
Paediatric Pain Good quality, effective management of pain in paediatric patients is an essential component of paediatric anaesthesia. However, achieving this can be difficult for…
Ketamine in anaesthetic practice Ketamine is the only anaesthetic available which has analgesic, hypnotic and amnesic effects. When used correctly it is a very useful…
Morphine – Still the gold standard Still popular and widely used. This brief module reviews the basics of morphine, its uses, side effects and doses.…