For the life of the flesh is in the blood. Leviticus 17:11 I General Topics A Normal Blood Volume and Composition 1. Total blood volume (TBV) = 70 mL/kg total body weight (80 mL/kg for newborns) 2. Total volume red…
Within one linear centimeter of your lower colon, there lives and works more bacteria than all humans who have ever been born. Yet many people continue to assert that it is we who are in charge of the world. Neil…
Although an anesthesiologist plays a critical role in the perioperative management of patients, it is important that the surgeon be familiar with the general principles of anesthesia and their potential impact on the surgical patient. Surgical care of the patient…
Some of you say that religion makes people happy. So does laughing gas. Clarence Darrow The ability to understand and administer conscious sedation to perform invasive procedures is a necessity for the practicing surgeon. It is no longer solely the…
The safest sedation is no sedation. Anonymous Local anesthesia is not only a common adjunct to higher levels of sedation but may also be an effective stand-alone method of anesthesia in many situations. When used appropriately, local anesthesia can simplify…
Give us the tools, and we will finish the job. Winston Churchill Despite sufficient knowledge of anatomy, pathophysiology, and disease processes, a surgeon will be lost in the operating room without a comprehensive knowledge of the surgical tools at his…
Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing. Warren Buffett I Risks and Benefits of Surgery 1. Whether it is a life-saving liver transplant or a cosmetic procedure, surgical intervention offers some benefit to the patient, at the risk of…
Wound healing is a complex process, and every surgeon should have an understanding of the basic principles and ways to maximize healing. I Phases of Wound Healing A Hemostasis (5–10 Minutes Post Injury) 1. Begins with endothelial injury and subsequent…
Let thy food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food. Hippocrates I Nutrition Basics 1. There are three sources of nutrition (normally, carbohydrates and fat provide 85% of daily energy expenditure, with protein supplying 15%). 2. Glucose…
The living organism does not really exist in the milieu exterior, but in the liquid milieu interior formed by circulating organic liquid. Claude Bernard I Basic Physiology A Body Fluid Composition 1. Total body water (TBW) a. Composed of intracellular…