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By Rawlings Otieno
Caregivers can now view patient data and alarm indicators on a colour display that allows efficient access to critical information during surgery.Carestation 30, introduced in the country last week, is the latest anaesthetic machine that integrates the level of oxygen in the blood and other key measurements into its anaesthesia delivery system.
The machine delivers calibrated mixtures of gases and oxygen to the patient to sustain anaesthesia, while also providing patient monitoring capabilities, to allow the anaesthesiologist or technician caring for the patient to make adjustments as necessary during the procedure.Anaesthesia is a reversible lack of awareness, which allows patients to undergo surgery and other procedures without the distress and pain they would otherwise experience.
ACCURACY
According to GE Healthcare president and chief executive officer Farid Fezuoa, the machine has been designed to offer efficient delivery system, thus increasing the standards of quality and reliability.“The machine is designed to provide an accurate and continuous supply of medical gases mixed with an accurate concentration of anaesthetic vapour and delivered to the patient safely,” said Fezuoa.
Modern machines incorporate a ventilator, suction unit, and patient monitoring devices. This particular one can be hooked up to wall supplies of oxygen and other gases, as well as reserve cylinders kept for emergencies.“We are hopeful that this new technology will help further meet the needs of clinicians in low resource settings at a more affordable cost, while advancing safer surgery practices,” said Fezuoa.He was speaking during the official launch of the Carestation 30 anaesthetic machine at a Nairobi hotel.
The Carestation 30 anaesthetic machine will cost between Sh1.2 million to Sh 2 million depending on the sophisticated features of the machine.Anaesthetics are used during tests and surgical procedures to prevent pain and discomfort.
SAFETY
Anaesthetics work by blocking the signals that pass along the nerves to your brain. Nerves are bundles of tiny fibres that use chemical and electrical signals to pass information around your body.Although anaesthesia is a safe medical service, a patient may feel numbness or tingling in the area that could last for days. There may be serious side effects and allergic reactions resulting from anaesthesia, although this is rare.
Common complications following sedation or general anaesthesia include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, sore throat, blood pressure changes and pain. These side effects are usually mild, short-lived, and sometimes treatable with medication.Some patients, both adults and children, may not achieve adequate sedation and pain relief with sedative administration and may require a procedure to be rescheduled with general anaesthesia.
More serious complications from anaesthesia are rare and are more likely to occur in patients with complex, serious medical conditions. All patients who receive anaesthesia are attached to specialised devices that monitor heart rate, and other vital functions of the body.
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