general anesthetic

general anesthetic

n.

An agent that produces loss of sensation and loss of consciousness.

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anesthetic

1. pertaining to, characterized by, or producing anesthesia.

2. a drug or agent used to abolish the sensation of pain, to achieve adequate muscle relaxation during surgery, to calm fear and allay anxiety. See also anesthesia.

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dissociative anesthetic

an anesthetic causing interruption of cerebral association pathways between the limbic system and cortical system. It produces a catalepsy-like state, in which the patient feels dissociated from its environment, and marked analgesia. Ketamine, phencyclidine and tiletamine hydrochloride are examples.

gaseous anesthetic

inhalation anesthesia. Halothane and isoflurane are commonly used agents.

general anesthetic

see general anesthesia.

anesthetic-induced rhabdomyolysis

see porcine stress syndrome.

inhalation anesthetic

gas or volatile liquid that produces general anesthesia when inhaled. The older agents, ether and cyclopropane, have been replaced by halothane, enflurane and isoflurane.

injectable anesthetic

sedative-hypnotic drugs produce anesthesia when administered in large doses. It can be administered intraperitoneally, but intravenous injection is much the most common route. Short-acting drugs, such as thiopentone, are used alone for very rapid procedures or for instrument examinations, or as induction for a longer term inhalation anesthetic. See also barbiturate. One anesthetic agent that is administered intramuscularly is ketamine.

irreversible anesthetic

the injection of a substance that destroys the peripheral nerve, e.g. ethyl or propyl alcohol.

local anesthetic

a drug that blocks nerve transmission in the nerves affected by the local presence of the drug. It may be applied topically, e.g. into the conjunctival sac, or by injection into tissues near the target nerve. Most local anesthetics are in the -caine series.

anesthetic machine

apparatus or equipment used to administer gaseous anesthetic agents; functions of the apparatus should include,

1. delivery of oxygen,

2. removal of carbon dioxide,

3. quantifiable delivery of anesthetic vapor or gas, and

4. capability of providing artificial respiration to the patient.

anesthetic scavenging

the use of any device to reduce the pollution of the air in surgeries caused by exhaled anesthetic gases. May be canisters of filtering material attached to the machine or suction lines at stragetic positions in the theater.

volatile anesthetic

see inhalation anesthetic (above).