Introduction Flashcards
Anesthesia is
Loss of feeling or sensation (including pain)
Partial or complete
Drug induced; intentional
Used to perform surgery or other painful procedures
Reversible
Local, regional or general
Local anesthesia
Loss of feeling or sensation to a specific area due to local desensitisation of a peripheral nerve bed
Freezing, line blocks
Regional anesthesia
Loss of feeling or sensation to a large portion of the body (such as a limb, lower half of the body, abdomen)
Due to desensitisation of spinal nerves and/or peripheral nerve bundles
Spinal block, epidural
General anesthesia
Anesthesia due to depression of the CNS
Comal-like state; affects the entire body
Patient neither perceives nor recalls noxious stimuli
Increased risk of adverse effects
Tranquilization means
Reduces anxiety and produces sense of tranquillity
Anti-anxiety, calm and chillout
Reduces the ability respond to a stimulus
There is no change in the ability to perceive pain
Sedation is
More profound that tranquilization and produces drowsiness and/or hypnosis
The sedatives reduce anxiety, reduce the ability to respond to stimulus
Sedatives also decrease sensation of pain
Animal is CONSCIOUS
3 levels
Light
Moderate
Heavy
Hypnosis, narcosis is
Greater degree of CNS depression
Degree of consciousness is noticeably affected; patient is entering unconscious state
Will learn that this overlaps with stage 1 and 2 of general anesthesia
Surgical anesthesia
Patient is unconscious
There is no perception of pain
Significant CNS depression
Analgesia
Relief of pain without loss of consciousness
Analgesic
A drug that relieves pain
Balanced anaesthesia (aka multimodal anesthesia/analgesia) is and includes
Using multiple drugs in combination
In smaller doses than if only using one drug on its own
To obtain appropriate CNS depression to perform a specific procedure
Includes
Premed
Induction agent
Maintenance anesthesia
Analgesia (pre- and intra- operative)
Benefits of balanced anesthesia
Limits adverse effects of each individual drug
Maximize the benefits of each drug
Accounts for motor, sensory (PAIN), reflex and mental aspects of the nervous system
The anesthetic protocol must take into account:
Patient
Procedure
Facilities available
NOTE: your anesthetic protocol is always changing between patients…. and sometimes for the same patient
What is the RVTs role in anesthesia
Preparation, operation and maintenance of anesthetic equipment
Administration of anaesthetic agents
Endotracheal intubation
Patient monitoring
Planning
Patient
Equipment and materials
Patient assessment
Premedication
Surgical fluids
Induction
Surgical prep
Maintenance anesthesia
Recovery (period when anesthetic drug is removed and vital return to normal, animal is conscious)
Postoperative analgesia
What does the RVT do to plan anesthesia
Patient
Estimates, required diagnostics, pre-surg medications
Organizing with owner (incl fasting requirements)
Consents
Equipment and materials
Drugs, anesthetic equipment, surgical equipment
Patient assessment
Weight, TPRs
Asses for pre-procedure mentation and pain
Any pre-anesthetic diagnostics (bloods,rads)
\
What does the RVT do to patient assessment before anesthesia
Weight, TPRs
Asses for pre-procedure mentation and pain
Any pre-anesthetic diagnostics (bloods,rads)
What does the RVT do for premed
Calculating doses, administration medications
Assessing degree of sedation after administration
Responding to adverse reaction to sedation/premed
What does the RVT do for surgical fluids
Setting up surgical fluids
Catheter placement
Calculating fluid rates based on fluid plan
What does the RVT do for induction of anesthesia
Calculating and administering injectable anesthetic dose
Endotracheal; intubation
Assessing depth of anesthetic
Patient monitoring
What does the RVT do for maintaining anesthesia
Operating anesthetic machine
Oxygenation
Delivery of inhalant drugs
Ensuring fluids and thermosupport
Patient assessment
Assessing depth of anaesthesia
Assessing patient vitals
Monitoring and responding to drug effects; ability to rapidly respond in case of overdose/arrest
Differentiating pain from other stress
What does the RVT do for recovery of anesthesia
Patient monitoring and assessment
Extubation, assessing for pain/other physiological stress
Requesting appropriate analgesia/sedation if indicated
Providing non-pharmacological comfort and care
What does the RVT do for postoperative analgesia
Patient monitoring
Assessing for pain and comfort
Calculating and administering analgesics and ancillary support (i.e., PT, IV fluids, antibiotics, nutrition)
Fundamental challenges, inherent risks of anesthesia
Very narrow therapeutic index
Consequences of a calculation or administration error → may be serious
Vital signs and indicators and anaesthetic depth
MUST BE closely monitored
Accurate interpretation of visual, tactile, and auditory info from the patient, anaesthetic equipment, and monitoring devices
Comprehensive understanding of the significance of physical parameters (ex. HR,RR, reflexes) and machine generated data (ex. BP, O2 sat’n)
Potential for patient harm during administration of anaesthetic is relatively high
Competence and confidence are earned through
Study, practice,, persistence, caring attitude, dedication to excellence
What is essential to know for anesthesia
Pharmacology of common drugs
Desired effects
Expected SIDE EFFECTS
Unacceptable side effects
Pharmacy laws
Controlled drugs
Dose calculations
Normal patient physiology
What is not “normal” is automatically abnormal
Also know how “normals” change when under the influence of anaesthetic drugs
How to recognize and respond to adverse effects