Chapter 16 – Thoracic Anesthesia
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…
ANESTHESIA
Chapter 15 – Vascular Anesthesia
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…
Chapter 14 – Cardiac Anesthesiology
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…
Chapter 13 – Blood Transfusion Components and Complications in Anesthesiology
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…
Chapter 12 – Fluid and Electrolyte Balance
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)…
Chapter 11b – Regional Anesthesia: Chest and Abdominal Plane Blocks
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…
Chapter 11a – Regional Anesthesia: Blocks of the Upper and Lower Extremities
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…
Chapter 10 – Postanesthesia Care Unit
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…
Chapter 9 – Anesthesia Techniques: General Anesthesia Techniques in Clinical Practice
Summary Preoperatively, the patient will transition from different depths of anesthesia, including the levels of sedation, to general anesthesia (GA). Sedation is a continuum of symptoms that range from minimal…
Chapter 8 – Anesthesia Techniques: Mild, Moderate, and Deep Sedation in Clinical Practice
Summary Selection of the anesthetic technique to be employed during a procedure begins during the preoperative evaluation with consideration of factors such as the patient’s comorbidities and preferences and the…
