Anaesthesia Flashcards

1
Q

Define the term anaesthesia

A

A state of controlled and reversible unconsciousness characterised by lack of pain sensation (analgesia), lack of memory (amnesia) and relatively depressed reflex response

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2
Q

Why do we use anaesthesia?

A

Humanitarian (prevent pain)
Practical (immobilise patient)
Legal (protection of animals act)

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3
Q

How can anaesthesia be achieved?

A

Intravenous injection
Intramuscular injection
Inhalational route
Intraperitoneal - used in small mammals

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4
Q

What as an RVN, can you do during anaesthesia?

A

Drug administration - under VS direction
Pre-med admin
Intubation of the patient
Selecting appropriate equipment (ET tube, circuit, clippers, swab, tube tie etc.)
Monitoring - HR, RR, oxygen saturation etc.
Pre-anaesthetic blood test
Weigh and TPR
Admit and consent
Cleaning equipment and making sure its ready for use
Emergency response
Safety checks
Recovery and monitoring
Extubate

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5
Q

How can local anaesthesia be given?

A
topical 
infiltrative 
block
epidural 
Intravenous regional
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6
Q

What is the triad of anaesthesia?

A

Amnesia
Analgesia
Muscle relaxation

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7
Q

What risks are faced?

A

Equipment
Patient inflicted injuries
Accidental self injection of drugs
Risk of exposure to anaesthetic agents and nitrous oxide

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8
Q

How is exposure to volatile agents minimised?

A

Good ventilation of op/prep/working area
Regular servicing of equipment
Use of well fitting ET tubes
Use of scavenging systems

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9
Q

What can short term exposure to volatile agents cause?

A

headaches, dizziness

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10
Q

What can long term exposure to volatile agents cause?

A

Reproductive problems, harm to unborn foetus

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11
Q

What are the types of anaesthesia?

A

General and local

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12
Q

Define General Anaesthesia

A

State of controlled and reversible unconsciousness characterised by lack of pain sensation, lack of memory and relatively depressed reflex response.

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13
Q

How can general anaesthesia be induced?

A

I/V, I/M, I/P or inhalational

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14
Q

What are advantages of general anaesthesia?

A

Convenience and practicality
Rapid loss of consciousness
A wide surgical field is available and a wide variety of surgical procedures can be performed

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15
Q

What are disadvantages of general anaesthesia?

A

Need for restraint of the patient prior to induction
Requirement for skilled administration and continued monitoring of the patient
A degree of cardiovascular and respiratory depression is a feature of general anaesthesia

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16
Q

What is local anaesthesia?

A

Targeted analgesia, Pre-emptive analgesia

Can be used alone or combined with GA as part of a multi-modal analgesic approach

17
Q

How does local anaesthesia work?

A

blocking sodium channels of nerve endings which leads to nerve impulse conduction
Sensory neurons more sensitive
Producing local analgesia

18
Q

In what order do sensations disappear?

A
Pain
Cold
Warmth
Touch
Pressure
They return in the opposite order
19
Q

How can local anaesthesia be administrated?

A
Local infiltration
Regional anaesthesia 
Spinal
Trans-mucosal 
Trans-cutaneous
20
Q

What are uses of local anaesthesia?

A

Intubation in cats
Exotics
Large animals
Eye surgery