Detecting Problems Early in Patients Under Anesthesia

Patients who require surgery on an emergent or urgent basis are often unstable and often lack the reserves to cope with the effects of general anesthesia and surgery. Patients should be stabilized as much as possible prior to anesthetizing; however, surgery may be required as part of resuscitation in more critical patients. This lecture will discuss some of the more common problems that may arise during anesthesia of the more critically ill or injured patient and provide options for treating the abnormalities.

What if the patient is not oxygenating or ventilating well?

Oxygenation and ventilation are different concepts and mean very different things
to the patient. Oxygenation typically refers to the ability of the patient to maintain normal oxygen levels in the blood stream although maintaining tissue oxygenation is ultimately the goal. Ventilation refers to the ability of the patient to exchange carbon dioxide at the level of the lung. […]