Current status of cardiac anaesthesia

Cardiac anaesthesia continues to advance at a rapid pace. Many innovations in monitoring and pharmacology have wide application in patients with cardiac disease. In recent years many new cardiac procedures have been introduced to improve results and reduce cost. Anaesthesia for these procedures (e.g., mid-cab, port-access) requires special training and experience so as to reduce morbidity and mortality. Recently short acting anaesthetic agents are used to permit early extubation as a part of fast tracking. Constant vigilance and monitoring are necessary to handle potentially dangerous situations and avoid complications.