Introduction
Anesthesiologists are at the forefront of a revolution in anesthesia technology. This is not only because they provide anesthesia, but also because they have to manage patients while they are under sedation and can’t speak for themselves. In this article, Dr. Brian Blick will explore some of the most innovative ways that anesthesiologists are using technology to provide better care for their patients today—and tomorrow.
Monitoring patients during surgery
For example, anesthesia technology can help monitor vital signs during surgery. The device will alert the anesthesiologist if a patient’s heart rate or blood pressure rises too high or drops too low, allowing them to administer medication quickly and effectively.
Another type of monitoring technology is used to measure brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG), which measures electrical activity in the brain via electrodes placed on the scalp. This helps determine whether or not a patient is unconscious during surgery and provides valuable information about how well their brains are functioning during anesthesia.
Diving deeper into the brain
The brain is the most important organ in the body. It controls everything we do, feel and think. That’s why monitoring brain waves during surgery is so important – it can help ensure that patients are receiving optimal anesthesia while they’re under the knife.
Unfortunately, it’s not easy to measure these electrical signals from inside someone’s head without damaging their brain tissue or causing irritation to nerves around it.
There are many different types of monitoring devices available today–from simple electroencephalography (EEG) caps that measure activity through electrodes placed on top of a patient’s scalp; through surface electrodes placed directly onto their heads; all the way up to deep-brain implants that can record signals directly from within specific areas of interest within an individual patient’s brain tissue itself!
Fighting infection
In the operating room, infection can be a serious concern. The risk is even higher in people with compromised immune systems, such as those who have had surgery or are receiving chemotherapy.
To reduce this risk, anesthesia providers may use sterile drapes and gowns and wear gloves while they’re working on you. They also frequently clean their equipment between patients by using an antiseptic solution or alcohol wipes so it doesn’t carry over from one patient to another–and potentially cause infection later on in your recovery process.
Improving monitoring for anesthesia-induced complications
- Monitoring of anesthesia-induced complications.
- Monitoring of the patient’s response to anesthesia.
- Monitoring of vital signs.
Conclusion
We’ve come a long way in our understanding of anesthesia, but there is still much more to learn. We can only imagine what advances will be made in the next few decades as we continue researching this miraculous drug and its effect on the human body.
