Summary Kidneys are paired organs, the primary function of which is to excrete metabolic byproducts involving physiologic processes of filtration, reabsorption, secretion, and excretion. The nephron forms the basic functional…
Summary Anesthesia for neurosurgical procedures is challenging. Understanding of neuroanatomy, physiology, and pharmacology gives anesthesiologists the opportunity to optimize patient care. Tailoring anesthesia, including medications, monitoring techniques, and physiologic manipulation,…
Summary This is by far the most important aspect of preoperative assessment. Any patient with a score >2 should be referred to cardiology for additional testing. The Revised Cardiac Risk…
Summary Anesthetic management of vascular surgery is highly demanding, due to physiologic perturbations caused by major vascular procedures, as well as the high burden of existing atherosclerotic disease or disease…
Summary The anesthetic management of patients undergoing cardiac surgery involves meticulous preparation and persistent vigilance. In this chapter, we will discuss the general anesthetic principles that apply to all cardiac…
Summary Donation of one unit of whole blood or apheresis can be used to obtain red blood cell (RBC) units. For apheresis RBCs, a donor is connected to an apheresis…
Summary Maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance is one of the mainstays of anesthesia. Often patients present to the operating room with intravascular volume depletion secondary to nil per os (NPO)…
Summary The intercostal nerves are the continuations of the ventral ramus of the thoracic spinal nerves. To perform an effective ICB, the block should be performed proximal to the mid-axillary…
Summary A regional block, also known as a localized block, is a type of anesthetic that blocks nerve transmission to prevent or alleviate pain. Regional anesthesia is the process of…
Summary The postanesthesia care unit (PACU) or recovery unit is the place where patients go to after leaving the operating room (OR) and before being discharged home or to the…
