Anesthesia systems

In this study we evaluated six anesthesia systems--three systems from each of two manufacturers--used to administer inhalation (general) anesthesia. Because contemporary anesthesia systems are assembled from components that represent proven technology, we focused on whether the systems could meet the needs of a variety of clinical applications and whether they provided clinically useful integration of instrument control and of information presentation. Performance (e.g., accuracy, response time) of individual components was explored only if it became suspect in the course of testing or if problems had been reported by users. We found that all the evaluated systems can be used to deliver anesthesia safely; thus, we rated them Acceptable. We did, however, note differences among the systems with respect to suitability for various types of procedures, degree of integration, and cost. Based on these concerns, we ranked the systems in four groups. Guidance for choosing the system that best meets a healthcare facility's needs is presented in the Anesthesia System Purchasing Strategy Guide at the end of the Evaluation. Also included in this study are a "Glossary of Anesthesia Terms and Abbreviations" and a supplementary article describing a new system that replaces one of the evaluated systems.