Operating and emergency rooms have equipment that is essential for their functioning with alacrity and safety. Technological advancements combine with innovative techniques to continually alter the once accepted standard and improve the overall capabilities of medical professionals and equipment alike. Among the equipment currently evolving to meet changing demands and expectations, are anesthesia machines.
A Brief History
In 1846, William TG Morton (1819-1868), an American dentist, demonstrated the effects of using ether as an anesthetic. The simplicity of the method did not require any machinery. This was only to emerge with the introduction of oxygen and nitrous oxide. Available as compressed gasses in canisters, they necessitated some form of transportation mechanism.
The answer came from Barbadian anesthetist Henry EG Boyle (1875-1941). His adaptation of the Gwathmey-Woolsey Nitrous Oxide-Oxygen Apparatus (1912) came into the public eye in 1917. Over time, the essential characteristics of Boyle’s anesthesia machine remained the same. However, technological advances have improved safety for the patients.
Boyle’s Machines Today
Today, anesthesia machines are state-of-the-art. They utilize the latest technology and devices to ensure the flow of oxygen achieves the high standards of care demanded by patients and anesthesiologists alike. The traditional stationary anesthesia machine is the most common type.
The stationary anesthesia machine is usually an integrated component of a workstation (care station). The most common type is a continuous flow. This indicates its capability to supply a measured, continuous supply of three specific gasses:
- Oxygen
- Nitrous oxide
- Heliox
These mingle with an “anesthetic vapor concentration” – usually isoflurane.
Anesthesia Machines
Almost every OR and ER requires access to some form of anesthesia delivery system. Today, stationary anesthesia machines are easily accessed within hospitals and other medical facilities. While they still resemble the original machinery, Boyle’s anesthesia machine today is more technologically advanced. It is now not a stand-alone workpiece but often part of an integrated, monitoring and information gathering system of delivery.