Anaesthetics Flashcards
(127 cards)
What are the normal ranges for sodium and potassium in the blood and why is there such a difference?
Sodium: 135-145mmol/L
Potassium: 3.5-5.0mmol/L
Sodium mostly exists in the extracellular compartment (ECF and blood), potassium mostly exists in the intracellular compartment
What are the daily requirements of water, glucose, sodium and potassium?
Important things to remember when prescribing maintenance fluids?
DAILY REQUIREMENTS 24 HOURS
WATER 25-30 ml/kg/day
K+/Na+/Cl- 1 mmol/kg/day
Glucose 50-100 g/day of glucose to limit starvation ketosis
- will not address the patient’s nutritional needs
- reduce flow rate to 20-25 ml/kg/day if renal impairment/heart failure/ frail/elderly/malnourished (re-feeding syndrome)
- reduce maintenance if also eating and drinking
What kinds of things cause FLUID LOSS?
Poor oral intake (elderly, dysphagia, unconsciousness, fasting NBM) Increased requirements (Trauma, burns, post-operative) Increased loss (fever, sweating, bleeding, D+V, renal loss, drugs, NG tube or stoma loss or billary drainage loss)
How do we classify fluid loss?
As mild, moderate or severe
MILD
- 4% body weight, loss of skin turgor and dry mucus membranes
MODERATE
- 5-8% body weight, oliguria, tachycardia and hypotension
SEVERE
- >8% body weight, profound oliguria and CVS collapse
What are some crystalloids and what are some examples?
They are water soluble substances dissolved in solution. They can be rapidly administered but can cause pulmonary oedema
NaCl 0.9%
Dextrose
Haartmans
What is in NaCl and what are some risks?
(0.9% mean 9g in 100ml) - contains 154mmol/L Na and 154mmol/L Cl
So about the right amount of sodium but there is a risk of hyperchloraemic acidosis
What is in dextrose and when should it be used?
5% = 50g per L water
Good if people have glucose requirements
What is in Haartman’s and what are some benefits of using it?
Na - 131 Cl - 111 K - 5 Ca 2 Lactate 29
-reduses risk of hypokalaemia and hyperchloreamia
What are some examples of colloids? Where are they sometimes used?
Gelfusin Voluven Volulyte Albumin Sometimes used in trauma but rarely elsewhere
What is a fluid challenge?
Getting IV access with a wide bore cannula and administering 250-500mL of fluid as quickly as possible (usually 10-15mins) and monitoring for a response (BP, HR, UOP, JVP)
If an unwell patient hasn’t improved after 3 fluid challenges then need senior support
What is maintenance fluid?
What is an example of a good maintenance fluid regimen in a 70kg man?
MAINTAINANCE FLUID
-total amount of fluid in a day, presuming everything else is normal (e.g. no dehydration, no drugs that will effect)
0.9% NaCl + 40mmol K over 8 hours
5% dextrose + 20mmol K over 8 hours
5% dextrose + 20mmol K over 8 hours
Why will people need more than just maintenance fluid after surgery?
People loose fluids during surgery (on average 600-900mL) so they will need some extra fluids before they’re placed on a maintenance regime
How do you manage fluid therapy in fever?
Add 10% extra fluids for every degree of fever
What should you ask in the history section of a pre-operative assessment?
- what is your understanding of the op?
- who do you live with at home? well supported?
- can you normally independently care for yourself?
- Current illness (health in the past 2 weeks, any new problems or infections)
-Vision and hearing
-Dental care
-Neuro (epilepy and stroke)
-Neck and jaw (trauma, movements, RA/OA)
Cardiac
-how far are you able to walk? (should be 4+ METS)
-how do you sleep at night?
-chest pain?
-MI/HF/diabetes/HTN/valve problems/arrythmias
Resp
-SOB
-cough?
chest infections?
COPD/asthma/infections/sleep apnoea
GI
-reflux/indigestion/heartburn/liver/kidney problems
Anaesthetic history (personal and family-MH/suxapnoea) Drug hx and allergies Social history (smoking, alcohol, drugs, pregnancy, blood products)
ICE
What ongoing medical conditions in particular should you ask about during anaesthetic history?
Any drugs you should avoid with certain conditions?
epilepsy/stroke/ heart attacks/diabetes/HTN/asthma/COPD/liver or kidney disease. Always ask how well controlled these are
Diabetes-done give Dexamethasone
Renal failure-dont give Rocuronium/NSAIDS/morphine
What should you examine in a pre-operative assessment? (4)
Examination pre-op
- Neck movement, jaw opening and dental health (dentures, caps, crowns or loose teeth)
- Mallampati score
- ASA score
- General examination (listen to heart and chest, feel abdomen, feel peripheries, feel calves for swelling or tenderness)
- Pregnancy test
What is the mallampati score?
I - complete visualisation of soft palate
II - Complete visualisation of uvula
III - Can only see base of uvula
IV - Cannot see soft palate
What is the ASA-GRADING for surgery?
How does emergency surgery change ASA grade?
1 - Healthy patient, no ongoing disease. Non smoker and no/minimal alcohol
2 - Mild/mod chronic disease with no functional impairment (e.g. well controlled diabetes, HTN, smoker or social drinker)
3 - Severe chronic disease with functional impairment e.g. angina or COPD
4- Severe chronic disease with constant threat to life e.g angina, ESRD or liver disease
5 - Moribund patient who is unlikely to survive with or without operation
6 - Brainstem dead patient for organ donor transplant
EMERGENCY BUMPS YOU UP BY ONE
What are the surgical grades for the operation?
Minor - skin excision/ toenail removal/ absess drainage/cystoscopy
Intermediate - hernia repair/tonsillectomy/ knee arthroscopy/varicose veins
Major/complex - emergency laparotomy/ hysterectomy/ thyroidectomy/joint replacement/thoracic operational/ radical neck dissection
In MAJOR surgery, what investigations would everyone get?
-FBC for all ASAs
For ASA 2+
-Kidney function (or ASA1 at risk AKI) and ECG (or ASA 65+)
group and save would be useful if expected blood loss
What are some extra investigations for specific things in pre-operative assessment?
LFTs for liver or billiard op
Sickle cell screen for Afro-Caribbean patients
TFTs if they’re on thyroxine
CXR if ICU care might be required
Echo if they’ve got valve problem or murmur
Spirometry if lung disease
What must you correct before the operation if found to be abnormal?
INR (with vit K or prothrombin complex)
Anaemia
What is the general rule for stopping medications before an operation?
In general omit on the day of operation and resume the day after
What more specific medications must be stopped before operation?
COCP - stop 4 weeks before
Aspirin/clopidogrel - stop 7 days before
Warfarin-stop 5 days before (give therapeutic dose LMWH in interim)
LMWH - stop 48h before (hep infusion if at risk)
DOACs - stop 24h before
Insulin - don’t have morning dose
Metformin-can continue on day (dont cause hypo)
Oral hypoglycaemic - avoid on day of op
Diuretics/ACE-is - avoid on day of op
Long-term steroids - consider switch to hydrocortisone higher dose