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The respirator bag valve mask
Anesthesia machine
Oxygen mask
Laryngoscope
Tracheostomy tube
Tuohy needle
Flexible Endoscope
Syringe
Epidural catheter
Spinal needles
Following is a list of instruments used in the practice of anesthesia
| Instrument | Uses [1] [2] |
|---|---|
| Continuous-flow anaesthetic machine | used to provide a measured and continuous supply of gases (oxygen, nitrous oxide, etc.), mixed with a required concentration of anesthetic vapor to the patient at a required pressure and rate; video link |
| Anesthetic vaporizers | vaporizes the anesthetic |
| Oxygen mask | to deliver oxygen and/or to administer aerosolized medications |
| Nasal oxygen set | to deliver oxygen |
| Guedel airways [3] | hard part of the airway maintenance that connects the mouth part to the pharyngeal part |
| Yankauer suction tip | Suction catheters used to remove secretions from the mouth, oropharynx, trachea and bronchi |
| Peripheral venous catheter | |
| Water & sand weight bag | |
| Artificial resuscitator (Bag valve mask) | manual ventilation |
| Bain circuit | respiratory maintenance circuit |
| Laryngoscope | used to view larynx including the vocal cords, the glottis, etc. |
| Endotracheal tube | a tube introduced into the patient's trachea to maintain a patient to ensure that air reaches the lungs for respiration |
| Laryngeal mask airway (LMA) | a less stimulating alternative to an endotracheal tube |
| Endoscope | to look inside the larynx, trachea, bronchi |
| Eschmann stylet or Gum elastic bougie | a flexible device introduced through the mouth during some intubation procedures; if the stylet is in the trachea, while passing in, gives a sensation of bumps and then finally stops going in at a point, it indicates that it was gliding over tracheal rings and has stopped at one of the bronchi (the patient may even cough during this time); if it goes into the esophagus, it will not bump and neither will it stop going in; used to judge where the endotracheal tube has gone in [4] |
| HEPA Filter | to filter out dust particles from the gas being given to the patient |
| Hypodermic needle | for injections, infusions, etc. |
| Tuohy needle | for epidural catheter insertion |
| Spinal needle | used for puncturing the spinal canal for injection of medications in spinal anaesthesia |
| Epidural catheter | used to administer medications into the epidural space |
| Syringe | to inject medications |
| Mucus sucker | to aspirate any fluid specially mucus from the respiratory passage |
| Variable performance devices | |
| Fixed performance devices | |
| Peripheral Nerve Stimulator | to locate the nerve during regional anesthesia |
| TOF Monitor | to decide the repeat / reverse the anesthesia effect |
General anesthesia does not always require the anesthetic machine, tested daily, as basic equipment. Anesthesia machines may differ in appearance, size and degree of sophistication but generally speaking, they consist of sections for:
It is imperative that essential medical pipeline gas supply, e.g. oxygen], nitrous oxide and air, are secured firmly to the machine, and readily available without any obstructions, defects or pressure leaks. They should also be checked in between cases, ensuring that the breathing apparatus and breathing circuit are fully patent, for the safe anesthesia of patients. Major manufacturers of anesthetic machines are General Electric (GE), Larsen & Toubro Limited, Draeger and MAQUET.
Anesthesia or anaesthesia is a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for medical or veterinary purposes. It may include some or all of analgesia, paralysis, amnesia, and unconsciousness. An individual under the effects of anesthetic drugs is referred to as being anesthetized.
Tracheal intubation, usually simply referred to as intubation, is the placement of a flexible plastic tube into the trachea (windpipe) to maintain an open airway or to serve as a conduit through which to administer certain drugs. It is frequently performed in critically injured, ill, or anesthetized patients to facilitate ventilation of the lungs, including mechanical ventilation, and to prevent the possibility of asphyxiation or airway obstruction.
A local anesthetic (LA) is a medication that causes absence of all sensation in a specific body part without loss of consciousness, providing local anesthesia, as opposed to a general anesthetic, which eliminates all sensation in the entire body and causes unconsciousness. Local anesthetics are most commonly used to eliminate pain during or after surgery. When it is used on specific nerve pathways, paralysis also can be induced.
In medicine, venipuncture or venepuncture is the process of obtaining intravenous access for the purpose of venous blood sampling or intravenous therapy. In healthcare, this procedure is performed by medical laboratory scientists, medical practitioners, some EMTs, paramedics, phlebotomists, dialysis technicians, and other nursing staff. In veterinary medicine, the procedure is performed by veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
Medical fetishism refers to several sexual fetishes in which participants derive sexual pleasure from medical scenarios including objects, practices, environments, and situations of a medical or clinical nature. In sexual roleplay, a hospital or medical scene involves the sex partners assuming the roles of doctors, nurses, surgeons and patients to act out specific or general medical fetishes. Medical fantasy is a genre in pornography, though the fantasy may not necessarily involve pornography or sexual activity.
An operating theater is a facility within a hospital where surgical operations are carried out in an aseptic environment.
A breathing gas is a mixture of gaseous chemical elements and compounds used for respiration. Air is the most common and only natural breathing gas, but other mixtures of gases, or pure oxygen, are also used in breathing equipment and enclosed habitats. Oxygen is the essential component for any breathing gas. Breathing gases for hyperbaric use have been developed to improve on the performance of ordinary air by reducing the risk of decompression sickness, reducing the duration of decompression, reducing nitrogen narcosis or allowing safer deep diving.
An anaesthetic machine or anesthesia machine is a medical device used to generate and mix a fresh gas flow of medical gases and inhalational anaesthetic agents for the purpose of inducing and maintaining anaesthesia.
Epidural administration is a method of medication administration in which a medicine is injected into the epidural space around the spinal cord. The epidural route is used by physicians and nurse anesthetists to administer local anesthetic agents, analgesics, diagnostic medicines such as radiocontrast agents, and other medicines such as glucocorticoids. Epidural administration involves the placement of a catheter into the epidural space, which may remain in place for the duration of the treatment. The technique of intentional epidural administration of medication was first described in 1921 by Spanish military surgeon Fidel Pagés.
An oxygen mask is a mask that provides a method to transfer breathing oxygen gas from a storage tank to the lungs. Oxygen masks may cover only the nose and mouth or the entire face. They may be made of plastic, silicone, or rubber. In certain circumstances, oxygen may be delivered via a nasal cannula instead of a mask.
Hypoxemia is an abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood. More specifically, it is oxygen deficiency in arterial blood. Hypoxemia has many causes, and often causes hypoxia as the blood is not supplying enough oxygen to the tissues of the body.
The infraorbital nerve is a branch of the maxillary nerve. It arises in the pterygopalatine fossa. It passes through the inferior orbital fissure to enter the orbit. It travels through the orbit, then enters and traverses the infraorbital canal, exiting the canal at the infraorbital foramen to reach the face. It provides sensory innervation to the skin and mucous membranes around the middle of the face.
An anesthetic technician is an healthcare professional who performs a patient care role predominantly with the administration and monitoring of anesthesia and has an extensive knowledge of anesthesia techniques, instruments, supplies and technology.
A medical procedure is a course of action intended to achieve a result in the delivery of healthcare.
Veterinary anesthesia is a specialization in the veterinary medicine field dedicated to the proper administration of anesthetic agents to non-human animals to control their consciousness during procedures. A veterinarian or a Registered Veterinary Technician administers these drugs to minimize stress, destructive behavior, and the threat of injury to both the patient and the doctor. The duration of the anesthesia process goes from the time before an animal leaves for the visit to the time after the animal reaches home after the visit, meaning it includes care from both the owner and the veterinary staff. Generally, anesthesia is used for a wider range of circumstances in animals than in people not only due to their inability to cooperate with certain diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, but also due to their species, breed, size, and corresponding anatomy. Veterinary anesthesia includes anesthesia of the major species: dogs, cats, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs, as well as all other animals requiring veterinary care such as birds, pocket pets, and wildlife.
Brachial plexus block is a regional anesthesia technique that is sometimes employed as an alternative or as an adjunct to general anesthesia for surgery of the upper extremity. This technique involves the injection of local anesthetic agents in close proximity to the brachial plexus, temporarily blocking the sensation and ability to move the upper extremity. The subject can remain awake during the ensuing surgical procedure, or they can be sedated or even fully anesthetized if necessary.
A breathing circuit is those parts of a breathing apparatus, which direct the flow of supplied breathing gas to, and sometimes from, the user. The breathing circuit may be open, closed, or semi-closed, depending on whether breathing gas is recycled. A closed or semi-closed circuit will include components which remove carbon dioxide from the exhaled gas and add oxygen before it is delivered for inhalation, so that the mixture remains stable and suitable for supporting life. Terminology may vary slightly between fields of application. In diving and industrial rebreathers, the closed or semi-closed breathing circuit may also be called the loop, or breathing loop. In medical equipment the closed or semi-closed circuit may be called the circle system.
The history of neuraxial anaesthesia dates back to the late 1800s and is closely intertwined with the development of anaesthesia in general. Neuraxial anaesthesia, in particular, is a form of regional analgesia placed in or around the Central Nervous System, used for pain management and anaesthesia for certain surgeries and procedures.
Intercostal nerve block is a nerve block which temporarily or permanently interrupts the flow of signals along an intercostal nerve, usually performed to relieve pain.
Robert Marvin Epstein (1928-2024) was an American anesthesiologist, a member of the National Academy of Medicine, and the Harold Carron Professor of Anesthesiology (emeritus) at the University of Virginia.
