We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
from Section 1 - Nuts and Bolts
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 June 2025
The anaesthetic machine is designed to enable oxygenation, safe delivery of both gases and volatile anaesthetic agents and appropriate ventilation. Modern machines are complex pieces of equipment dependent on electronic hardware and software. Many incorporate electronic monitoring systems for both the patient and the gas delivery. Breathing systems and ventilators may be included to form a ‘workstation’. Familiarity with the anaesthetic machine is fundamental for safe practice. It must be checked before every operating list.
Gas supply is usually via pipelines drawn from a central supply or from cylinders. Pressure and flow of gases to the patient are regulated by valves and flowmeters. The concentration of volatile agents is controlled by individual vaporisers. Anaesthetic gas scavenging systems are designed to safely remove anaesthetic waste.
Anaesthetic breathing systems or circuits consist of several components: fresh gas, inspiratory and expiratory limbs, a pressure limiting valve and a reservoir bag. They may also have a carbon dioxide absorber and unidirectional valves. They are classified as either circle systems or semi-closed rebreathing systems. Ventilators can be considered as constant or non-constant generators of pressure or flow. Both are described in detail.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
