1 Why might a patient require intubation and mechanical ventilation? There are three main indications: 1) Hypoxic respiratory failure 2) Hypercarbic respiratory failure 3) Airway protection These three indications may be caused by primary respiratory pathology (e.g., pneumonia, chronic obstructive…
1 What is an anesthesia machine? A more modern and correct name for an anesthesia machine is anesthesia delivery system . The job of the first anesthesia machines was to supply a mixture of anesthetizing and life-sustaining gases to the…
1 Why do we administer fluids? What is the most important reason perioperatively? Although there are many reasons to administer fluids to patients (correct electrolyte imbalances, administer drugs, nutrients, antibiotics, etc.), the ultimate goal of perioperative fluid administration is to…
1 What is the role of point-of-care ultrasound and echocardiography in the perioperative and critical care setting? Ultrasound is a valuable diagnostic tool capable of providing real-time, rapid evaluation of patients. It is mobile, easy to use, safe, and less…
1 Define central venous catheterization. A central venous catheter (CVC) or central line is a catheter that is placed into a large vein such that the catheter’s distal orifice is within a central vein. The target central vein for CVCs…
1 What methods are available to measure blood pressure? Blood pressure (BP) measurements can be divided into direct and indirect methods. Indirect methods include using a cuff or palpation of a pulse, whereas direct methods use an arterial catheter. The…
1 What is capnometry? Capnometry is a monitor which detects and measures expired carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Capnometry can be qualitative where the device changes color when CO 2 is detected, or quantitative where the device measures the expired…
1 Review pulse oximetry Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive method by which arterial oxygenation can be approximated. It is based on the Beer-Lambert law and spectrophotometric analysis. When applied to pulse oximetry, the Beer-Lambert law essentially states that the intensity…
1 What are the benefits of vasoactive agents? All major components governing the physiology of cardiac output, such as preload, afterload, inotropy, and chronotropy can be modulated by vasoactive agents. An underlying concept is the Frank-Starling principle, which states that…
1 What are the four foundational moral values of medical ethics? Respect for autonomy: patients have the right to determine what can and cannot be done to their bodies Nonmaleficence: do no harm, or at least, do more good than…