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Anesthesiology/Action Of Anaesthetics

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Expert: Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based - 5/27/2006


Question
Dear Dr. Jackson ,can you verify for me the accuracy of information that I recieved via an Italian Heart Surgeon who stated that although the medical proffession have learned how much anaestesia to administer to a given patient,that in actual fact we are still at a loss as to how it actually works ?
Many thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi there Catriona
I could give you a complicated answer about how we know how certain drugs work BUT the basic answer has to be yes. We don't know why anaesthetics work - particularly what is known as the inhalational anaesthetics e.g. isoflurane and sevoflurane.
Dr Jackson

Anesthesiology

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Dr Ian Jackson - please note UK based

Expertise

I am a Consultant Anaesthetist in the UK. My interests include ambulatory or day surgery, obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia, acute pain management (use of epidurals and patient controlled analgesia)anaesthesia for surgery on the airway, orthopaedics and most things except brains and hearts. Interest in prehospital care of trauma and provision of medical cover at motorsport events.

Experience


Organizations
European Society of Regional Anaesthesia
British Association of Day Surgery
Obstetric Anaesthetists Association
Association of Anaesthetists

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