The mechanical capabilities of the heart are determined by its cartilaginous skeleton, myocardial fiber orientation, valves, coronary blood supply, and conduction system. The cardiac myocyte is engineered for contraction and…
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) includes that part of the central and peripheral nervous system concerned with involuntary regulation of cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, glandular and visceral functions. The sympathetic…
Brain adenosine triphosphate is depleted after 4 to 6 minutes of no blood flow. It returns nearly to normal within 6 minutes of starting effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Through living…
It is important to determine prior to the onset of anesthesia and surgery whether the patient will be able to tolerate the planned lung resection. Preoperative assessment of vital capacity…
Airway management is tailored to the type of injury, the nature and degree of airway compromise, and the patient’s hemodynamic and oxygenation status. Fast computed tomography technology with the capability…
The anesthesiologist may have greater influence in reducing the morbidity and costs of vascular surgery than in any other surgical procedure. Atherosclerosis is a generalized inflammatory disorder of the arterial…
Brain death is declared when the clinical picture is consistent with irreversible cessation of all brain functions. The mainstay of donor management is maintenance of euvolemia, oxygenation, perfusion, and normothermia,…
Local anesthetics provide anesthesia and analgesia by blocking the transmission of pain sensation along nerve fibers. The key target of local anesthetics is the voltage-gated sodium channel. The binding is…
The major risk of anesthesia in the poorly controlled thyrotoxic patient is thyroid storm, which must be aggressively treated with β-blockers, iodide, and antithyroid drugs. Asymptomatic or mild hypothyroidism does…
Sedated or anesthetized patients should be placed in positions that are comfortable while they are awake. Padding provided by any number of different materials (e.g., gel or foam pads, blankets)…
