maintenance

Last reviewed 01/2018

Maintenance of anaesthesia corresponds to the period in which surgical procedures are being carried out or the patient is being ventilated. Anaesthesia can be maintained with:

• volatile agents added to a nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture
• high dose intravenous opiates with ventilation
• intravenous infusion anaesthesia

To these basic formats, other agents are added according to circumstances, e.g. regional analgesia or muscle relaxants where artificial ventilation is required.

There are no set levels for the concentration of anaesthetic agent - they should be titrated according to the physiological characteristics of the patient and the type of operation.