Anaesthesia: A Very Short IntroductionWhat do anaesthetists do? How does anaesthesia work? What are the risks? And how does the anaesthetist know if you are really asleep? Anaesthesia is a mysterious and sometimes threatening process. In this Very Short Introduction, Aidan O'Donnell takes the reader on a tour through the whole of the modern anaesthetic practice. He begins by explaining general anaesthesia: what it is, how it is produced, and how it differs from natural sleep and other forms of unconsciousness. He goes on to consider the main categories of anaesthetic drugs, including anaesthetic vapours, intravenous agents, muscle relaxants, and analgesics, together with explanations of how they work and what their purpose is. Set against the historical background of anaesthetic and surgical practice, O'Donnell examines the large role anaesthetists play in specialised areas such as intensive care medicine, pain medicine, and childbirth; and finally, he considers the risks of anaesthesia, putting in to context that anaesthesia is a very safe process. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
Contents
concepts of anaesthesia | 1 |
2 Historical perspective | 19 |
3 Nuts and bolts | 35 |
4 Bells and whistles | 50 |
5 Anaesthetic drugs and fluids | 64 |
6 Local and regional anaesthesia | 83 |
7 The different branches of anaesthesia | 96 |
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Common terms and phrases
action activity addition administered adults airway allows anaesthesia anaesthetic agents anaesthetic drugs anaesthetist analgesia analgesic animals associated awareness block blood body brain breathing called carried cause cells century Chapter chloroform close common concentration condition consciousness considerable considered contains death demonstration describe developed doctors dose drugs early effects epidural ether example experience face fluids function given giving hand heart human induction inhalational injection intensive intravenous introduced John known less light lungs machine maintain maintenance means measurement mechanical memory monitoring muscle muscle relaxants nerve nitrous oxide occur operation oxygen pain patient performed possible potential practice pressure prevent problem procedures produced propofol reasonable receptor regional remain response result risk Second short signals similar sleep specific spinal stage surgery surgical technique term tube types unconsciousness usually vapour ventilation volatile agents wide