Scan Pic0001(1)

MONITORING THE PATIENT

w    MONITORING THE PATIENT    •

General Anaestłietic ^ '^'^£>

___    •    c *

The thing about generał anaeslhetic that frightens everyone is thc idea of waking up in the middle of an operation. The anaesthetist’s job is to prevent this from happening by monitoring the patient every step of the way.

The patient is given a generał anaesthetic in tliree parts. Tlie first part is a drug that puts you to sleep. It works very fast. You are told to count baekwards from 100, and you are usuałly asłeep before you reach 95. From tłiat point onwards, your brain waves are monitored by an electroencephałogram (EEG), which will warn if you are waking up.

The second drug paralyses the muscles, so you necd a yentilator to breatlic. The percentage of oxygen in the air is controlled by tlie ventilator. An alarm will sound if it drop too Iow.

The heart still works under generał anaesthetic, and your lieart ratę is recorder by an eiectrocardiogram (ECG). Tlie anaesthetist also monitors tlie percentage of haemoglobin is tlie blood and level of carbon dioxide. Body temperaturę is constantly measured, because hypothermia can oceur under generał anaesthetic.

i'0^A Despite the effects of tlie paralysing drug, the brain also still functions. So if you wake at the wrong time, you may be able to hear surgeons and nurses talking, and understand what is going on. You will be unable to cali out, open your cycs, or move, because your muscles will be paralysed. However, you will feel no pain because of the tliird part of tlie anaesthetic - a painkiller, such as morpłiine. The drugs of a generał anaesthetic are powerful and can cause hallucinations, which may explain tlie “near death” experiences describcd by people who are given generał anaestłietic. Many of 'hem say the same thing - tliey rosę out of their body and went down a corridor towards a bright light, and sometimes they have reported hearing a voicc telling them to return.

1. Read the article and answer tlie ąuestions.

a)    Ho w many types of drugs make up a generał anaestłietic? <S    ,    • fj_e,

b)    Whatarethey? /!.    C>

c) What tells an anaesthetist if a patient is waking up? w/H V>c6*V wwot is    ^

d)    Why do patients under generał anaestłietic need a yentilator?    -w J- '■ W '

e) What two organs are not paralysed by generał anaestłietic? byg? ^ W h<? q vb 2. Work in pairs. Without looking back the text, try to remember the missing vcrbs. Then look back and clieck.

a)    The anaestlietisfsjob is to p    tliis form happening...

b)    The patient is g uryi a generał anaesthetic in tliree parts.

c)    ...and electroencephałogram (EEG), which will w r ■ ^ yi if you are waking up.

d) The second drug p    the muscles...

e)    Despite tlie effects of the paralysing drug, tlie brains also still f yv,ę~ ć/m

o

0 6

/

cyst    v

O

/