ANESTHETIC MACHINE Meaning and
Definition
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An anesthetic machine, also known as an anesthesia workstation, refers to a sophisticated medical device used to supply a precise combination of gases, such as oxygen, nitrous oxide, and various volatile anesthetic agents, to patients undergoing surgical procedures or other medical interventions. The machine is designed to deliver the necessary anesthetic agents while maintaining the patient's breathing and vital signs under controlled conditions.
These machines typically consist of several components, including a gas delivery system, breathing circuits, vaporizers, and monitoring devices. The gas delivery system ensures the accurate and reliable delivery of oxygen and other gases to the patient, while the vaporizers control the concentration of the anesthetic agent being administered. The breathing circuits enable the patient's ventilation and removal of exhaled gases, maintaining a closed system.
Moreover, anesthetic machines are equipped with monitoring devices to assess the patient's vital signs during the procedure. These can include oxygen saturation monitors, capnography for measuring the patient's expired carbon dioxide levels, blood pressure monitors, and electrocardiography devices.
Anesthetic machines are operated by qualified anesthesiologists or certified anesthesia providers who carefully control the administration of anesthetic agents and continuously monitor the patient's responses. The primary goal of using an anesthetic machine is to ensure patient comfort and safety during surgery or procedural interventions by accurately adjusting the inhalational anesthesia, monitoring vital signs, and providing the necessary respiratory support.
Etymology of ANESTHETIC MACHINE
The word "anesthetic" comes from the Greek term "anaisthētos", which means "unfeeling" or "without sensation". It is a combination of the prefix "an-" (meaning "without" or "lack of") and "aisthēsis" (meaning "sensation" or "feeling").
The word "machine" can be traced back to the Latin term "machina", which refers to any mechanical device or apparatus.
When combined, the term "anesthetic machine" refers to a device used to administer anesthesia or induce loss of sensation during medical procedures. The word "machine" emphasizes the mechanical aspect of the apparatus, while "anesthetic" describes its purpose of numbing or rendering a patient unconscious.
