Anaesthesia at the District Hospital

A practical manual designed to help medical officers in small hospitals acquire competence in the use of essential techniques for inducing anaesthesia. Procedures for both elective surgery and emergency care of the critically ill are considered. This second edition has been substantially revised to reflect changes in clinical practice, equipment and drugs, since the publication of the first edition.;The manual opens with a description of the fundamental principles and techniques underlying the practice of anaesthesia. Guidelines cover the immediate and continuing care of the critically ill, unconscious, or anaesthetized patient and the principles of fluid and electrolyte therapy. Against this background, chapters explain the methods, equipment and drugs used to induce general and regional anaesthesia. Particular attention is given to the use of draw-over anaesthesia as the technique of first choice for general anaesthesia in small hospitals.;Other chapters discuss the special needs of paediatric and obstetric anaesthesia and outline a number of medical conditions important for the anaesthetist. Throughout the book, numerous illustrations serve to convey technical details, and there are tables, charts and checklists summarizing lines of action and points to remember.