The Physics, Clinical Measurement, and Equipment of Anaesthetic Practice for the FRCA

A good knowledge of physics, measurement, and equipment is essential for practising anaesthetists. However, these subjects do present considerable problems because few anaesthetists have any background in physics. This book explains the physical principles and applications of physics in anaesthesia, and the statistical methods that anaesthetists are required to understand. The book includes sections on equipment and safety in anaesthesia, and electrical safety. Fully updated for the second edition, the book also includes new chapters on the depth of anaesthesia and on electrical safety. The contents are based on the syllabus of the FRCA exam in mathematics, physics, clinical measurement, monitoring, and equipment. The book starts with mathematics, statistics and physics background, not only to enhance the understanding for what follows in the book, but also because these basic sciences are fundamental to many other aspects of medical science. Areas, which in the authors' teaching experience, candidates have found particularly troublesome, such as electricity and electrical safety, are discussed in some detail in order to clarify. Table of Contents 1. Mathematics; 2. Statistics; 3. Background physics; 4. Electricity, magnetism and circuits; 5. Electronics and biological signal processing; 6. Electrical safety; 7. Behaviour of fluids; 8. Thermodynamics: Heat, temperature and humidification; 9. Solubility, vaporization and vaporisers; 10. Ultrasound and doppler; 11. Principles and standards of anaesthetic monitoring; 12. Blood pressure measurement; 13. Cardiac output measurement; 14. Gas pressure, volume and flow measurement; 15. Pulse oximetry; 16. Respiratory and anaesthetic gas analysis; 17. Blood gas analysis; 18. Electrophysiology and electro-stimulation; 19. Monitoring depth of anaesthesia; 20. Pacemakers and defibrillators; 21. Surgical diathermy; 22. Gas supply, pressure regulators and the anaesthetic machine; 23. Airway management devices; 24. Aids to intubation; 25. Breathing systems; 26. Artificial ventilators; 27. Intravenous pumps and syringe drivers; 28. Environmental safety; 29. Imaging and radiation; 30. Sterilization and cleaning; 31. Medical simulation