This was a prospective randomised study comparing carboxyhaemoglobin concentrations between low-flow anaesthesia (fresh gas flow 1.0 L/min) and minimal-flow anaesthesia (0.5 L/min) using desflurane. Sixty (ASA 1 or 2) adult patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia were randomly allocated to receive either low-flow (Group 1) or minimal flow anaesthesia (Group 2). Venous blood samples for carboxyhaemoglobin levels were taken at baseline and at 10 mins intervals for 40 mins. Both groups showed significant increase in carboxyhaemoglobin concentrations within the first 10 mins when fresh gas flow of 4.0 L/min was used. Reduction in carboxyhemoglobin levels was seen after 20 mins of minimal or low flow anaesthesia. However, there was no significant difference in the magnitude of reduction of carboxyhemoglobin concentrations between the groups. The fractional inspired of oxygen (FiO2) showed no significant changes in either group. In conclusion, desflurane usage in anaesthesia with either low-flow or minimal-flow was not associated with increased carboxyhaemoglobin concentrations.
Anaesthesiology is a specialty which is less well known and the public usually have little knowledge regarding anaesthesia and the roles of Anaesthesiologist. Many hospitals now use a single dedicated consent for anaesthesia. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of a single consent for anaesthesia with the combined surgical and anaesthetic consent. A total of 109 patients, scheduled for elective surgery requiring anaesthesia were interviewed with a standardised questionnaire. Patients were divided into two groups, where one group used a single anaesthetic consent while the other used a combined surgical and anaesthetic consent. A single consent for anaesthesia was found to be more effective than the current combined surgical and anaesthetic consent (p
This was a prospective randomized study comparing the ease of insertion, haemodynamic changes, quality of airway seal, oxygenation and ventilation parameters and complications between Laryngeal Tube Suction II (LTS II) with Proseal Laryngeal Mask Airway (PLMA), both are supraglottic airway incorporated with gastric passage. Fifty-four ASA I and II patients were randomly allocated to receive either LTS II or PLMA. Both devices provided a secure airway even under conditions of elevated intra-abdominal pressure up to 17 mmHg. In this study, there were no differences concerning ease of insertion, haemodynamic changes, quality of airway seal, oxygenation and ventilation parameters and complications between LTS II and PLMA.