Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026
08:49
Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
Published on: October 16, 2013
Anaesthesia-related morbidity in Victoria: a report from 1990 to 2005
1Victorian Consultative Council on Anaesthetic Mortality and Morbidity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. larry.mcnicol@austin.org.au
Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
|September 28, 2010
Summary
Reviewing 736 anaesthesia cases from 1990-2005, this study found airway, respiratory, and drug events were most common. Increasingly, organizational factors contribute to adverse anaesthesia outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Patient Safety
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
Background:
- The Victorian Consultative Council on Anaesthetic Mortality and Morbidity has collected data on anaesthesia-related adverse events.
- Understanding trends in anaesthesia morbidity is crucial for improving patient outcomes and safety protocols.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze clinical issues and contributory factors in anaesthesia-related morbidity.
- To identify the most frequently reported complications and emerging trends in adverse events.
Main Methods:
- A review of 736 cases of anaesthesia-related morbidity reported between 1990 and 2005.
- Utilized an established classification system, emerging categorization definitions, and keywords for analysis.
Main Results:
- Airway-related morbidity, respiratory complications, and drug-related adverse events were the most commonly reported issues.
- Organizational factors are increasingly identified as contributors to adverse anaesthesia outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Airway, respiratory, and drug-related events remain primary concerns in anaesthesia.
- There is a growing recognition of the significant role organizational factors play in anaesthesia-related morbidity, highlighting areas for systemic improvement.
Related Concept Videos
01:24General Anesthesia: Overview
Anesthesia is a medical procedure that uses drugs for CNS suppression to enable painless surgeries and procedures. The selection of anesthetics is influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties, side effects, and patient characteristics. Various types of anesthesia include general, local, regional, spinal, and inhalational.
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
General anesthesia induces unconsciousness in the whole body, while the others target specific areas or sensations. It is administered to minimize adverse effects, maintain...
01:16Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
Intravenous regional anesthesia or the Bier block technique is used to anesthetize a specific limb or extremity. It uses exsanguinated or blood-drained vessels to transport local anesthetics or LAs to the peripheral nerve trunks. Lidocaine without vasoconstrictors like epinephrine is most commonly used for this technique. Other drugs used are prilocaine, ropivacaine, and chloroprocaine. Bupivacaine is not recommended for this technique due to its high cardiac toxicity.
One of the advantages of...
One of the advantages of...
01:12Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects
While local anesthetics are generally safe and well-tolerated, they can occasionally cause adverse effects that vary in severity. Local anesthetics can induce toxicity at two distinct levels. They can either produce local effects through direct contact with the neural elements or be absorbed into the bloodstream from the injection site, leading to systemic effects.
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...
01:29Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
01:24Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
01:22Stages of General Anesthesia
Various sedation levels offer significant advantages in facilitating procedural interventions for patients undergoing medical or invasive surgical procedures. These levels span from anxiolysis to general anesthesia, providing a spectrum of sedative effects to cater to specific patient needs. Anxiolysis reduces anxiety and is achieved through minimal sedation, enabling patients to remain awake and responsive while feeling more at ease during the procedure. This level can benefit minor...