Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction

What do anaesthetists do? How does anaesthesia work? What are the risks? And how does the anaesthetist know if you are really asleep? Anaesthesia is a mysterious and sometimes threatening process. In this Very Short Introduction, Aidan O'Donnell takes the reader on a tour through the whole of the modern anaesthetic practice. He begins by explaining general anaesthesia: what it is, how it is produced, and how it differs from natural sleep and other forms of unconsciousness. He goes on to consider the main categories of anaesthetic drugs, including anaesthetic vapours, intravenous agents, muscle relaxants, and analgesics, together with explanations of how they work and what their purpose is. Set against the historical background of anaesthetic and surgical practice, O'Donnell examines the large role anaesthetists play in specialised areas such as intensive care medicine, pain medicine, and childbirth; and finally, he considers the risks of anaesthesia, putting in to context that anaesthesia is a very safe process. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area.These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Aidan O'Donnell is a consultant anaesthetist and medical writer with a special interest in anaesthesia for childbirth. He graduated from Edinburgh in 1996 and trained in Scotland and New Zealand. He now lives and works in New Zealand. He was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists in 2002 and a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists in 2011. This is his first book.

The book is understandable and enjoyable to read ... It would make a useful addition to the reading list of any medical student, and a welcomed gift for the non-medical reader. British Journal of Anaesthesia The interesting information in this little book would appeal to experts and laypeople alike. Consisting of 146 pages including a glossary, chapter-by-chapter suggestions for further reading and an index, this book clearly shows the extent to which the anaesthetist is involved in a patient's survival, because of their special knowledge of pharmacology, physiology and the treatment of pain. Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction would be a very good book to have in any school library or careers office. New Zealand Anaesthesia The book manages to explain the mechanics of anaesthesia in succinct and comprehensive language. Royal College of Anaesthetists Bulletin [O'Donnell] explains scientific theories clearly, simplifying them whilst ensuring that all key points and details are included. Anaesthesia