Dorsch and Dorsch

Chapter 5: The Anesthesia Workstation

THE ANESTHESIA WORKSTATION

- consists of the anesthesia machine, vaporizers, ventilator, breathing system, scavenging system,
and monitors
- added may be the drug delivery systems, suction equipment, and data management system

BENEFITS
- monitoring and control of functions are integrated
- reduced external connections reduce likelihood of misconnections, disconnections, or kinked
connections

DISADVANTAGES
- potential disruption of mechanical ventilation and gas delivery
- display failure
- electrical failure
- fires
- liquid spills

PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES
- pressure is defined as force acting against an area
- increased either by increasing the pressure or increasing the area over which pressure acts

HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM

INTERMEDIATE PRESSURE SYSTEM

- receives gases from the pressure regulator or the pipeline inlet to the anesthesia machine
- include pneumatic part of the master switch, pipeline inlet connections, pipeline pressure indicators,
piping, the gas power outlet, oxygen pressure failure devices, oxygen flush, pressure regulator, and
the flow control valves

LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM

- downstream of the flow control devices
- pressure only slightly above atmospheric and variable (depending on flow, back pressure, and back
pressure from the breathing system)
- include the flowmeters, hypoxia prevention safety devices, unidirectional vales, pressure relief
devices, and the common gas outlet (also vaporizers and their mounting devices)

MECHANICAL FLOWMETERS
- principle that flow past a resistance is proportional to pressure
- variable orifice/Thorpe tube type (vertical glass tube internally tapered, smallest diameter at the
bottom)

PROBLEMS OF FLOWMETERS
- inaccuracy: tube assembly calibrated for one gas cannot be used for another; entire assembly must
be changed if one component is damaged; greatest accuracy is in the middle half of the tube
- indicator problems: damage can result from a sudden projection to the top of the tube; worn or
distorted by handling