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After reading this article you will learn about the anaesthetic accidents and its treatment.
1. Circulatory Accidents:
(a) Anaesthetic hypertension (due to epinephrine release)
(b) Anaesthetic hypotension (due to haemorrhage or shock)
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(c) Shock (surgical anaesthetic)
Treatment:
The above conditions may be treated with blood transfusion and oxygen administration. The body heat and moisture should be conserved.
(d) Ventricular fibrillation (with chloroform and ethyl chloride during induction stage).
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Treatment:
Make induction stage smooth and rapid – (ii) cardiac massage (iii) Artificial respiration.
(e) Cardiac arrest without fibrillation: can be treated with artificial respiration and cardiac massage.
2. Respiratory Accidents:
(a) Central inhibition of respiration: may be combated by reducing the concentration of anaesthetic.
(b) In case of brain surgery intracranial pressure goes high or CSF pressure increases and thus respiratory failure occurs.
(c) Breathe holding in stage I and stage II.
(d) Pharyngeal and laryngeal spasm occurs at the end of stage I and stage II.
(e) Tongue swallowing: Base of the tongue may fall back and goes back in the pharynx.
(f) Aspiration: debris and vomits may go back in the respiratory passage.
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(g) Collapse of Lungs: Some tissues, mucous and clots may block the bronchioles and then corresponding alveoli may collapse.
3. Miscellaneous Accidents:
(i) Convulsion may occur but very rarely and mortality rate is close to 25%.
(b) Cerebral anoxia:
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Mostly occurs in N2O anaesthesia.
(c) Post anaesthetic fever:
Within few hours temperature rises from 108°F to 110°F in human and the patient dies despite therapy.
(d) Anaesthetic explosive:
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Most serious accident if occurs in operation room: Therefore, it is dangerous for surgeon’s attendents and the patient e.g. ether, ethylene, vinyl ether ethyl chloride, cyclopropane, explosive chloroform.
General Line of Treatment in Case of Collapse:
(i) Remove anaesthetic and give fresh air.
(ii) Pull forward the tongue, lower the jaw and extend the head.
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(iii) In small animal, invert the animal.
(iv) Artificial respiration: through respiration pump, chest massage.
(v) Cardiac and respiratory stimulant drug should be administered.
(vi) Oxygen inhalation is superior.
