QUESTIONS

1. Define local anaesthesia.
2. Lignocaine is a commonly used local anaesthetic; list 6 advantageous properties of this drug.
3. Describe the signs of local anaesthetic overdose in the order in which they would be seen.
4. Give 2 ways in which local anaesthetic overdose may be avoided.
5. Why is adrenaline commonly incorporated into local anaesthetic solutions such as Lignocaine?
6. Why might the hair of a patient change colour at the site of Lignocaine administration, and what other more serious complication may arise?
7. List 6 preparations of Lignocaine used in veterinary practice.
8. What is the active ingredient in Ophthaine, a popular ophthalmic preparation?
9. List the 4 ways in which local anaesthetics are used to produce analgesia and briefly describe each technique.
10. List 4 surgical procedures in which epidural analgesia may be useful.
11. What is the main risk of lumbar epidural analgesia?
12. Give examples of 2 surgical procedures in which intravenous regional analgesia may be useful.
13. List 4 local anaesthetic drugs in addition to Lignocaine and Proparacaine.
14. List the 4 main indications for intravenous anaesthesia.
15. What are the advantages of intravenous anaesthesia?
16. What are the disadvantages of intravenous anaesthesia?
17. Intravenous anaesthesia may be given as a single dose, incrementally (repeated top-up injections) or as a continuous infusion. Under which technique will recovery be quickest?
18. Name the vein of choice for intravenous anaesthetic administration and list 2 other veins which would be suitable if this vein was inaccessible.
19. How do injectable anaesthetics work to produce unconsciousness?
20. Define barbiturates, and give 2 examples of drugs of this kind commonly used as veterinary anaesthetic agents.
21. If thiopentone sodium is accidentally injected outside of a vein, severe skin sloughing may occur; why is this, and what should be done if extravasation occurs?
22. Why is pentobarbitone sodium not recommended as a sole anaesthetic agent?
23. Give an example of a steroid anaesthetic drug and explain why it is unsafe to use in dogs.
24. What is the main disadvantage of steroid anaesthetics other than that they cannot be safely used in dogs?
25. Give an example of a dissociative anaesthetic drug in the cyclohexanone group and explain what is meant by dissociative.
26. What precautions must be taken when ketamine is used?
27. Why is ketamine alone unsuitable for dogs?
28. List the drugs that may be given in combination with Ketamine to improve its anaesthetic effects.
29. Give an example of an anaesthetic drug of the phenol group, and state the breed of dog in which this is the intravenous anaesthetic of choice.
30. Give 4 advantages of propofol.
31. Give 4 disadvantages of propofol.
32. Pentobarbitone is an old-fashioned intravenous anaesthetic agent largely superseded by safer, more recent drugs. It does have a place in veterinary practice however; what are its uses?
33. What is the main advantage of inhalation anaesthesia.
34. List the 4 gaseous agents used in inhalation anaesthesia and briefly describe their uses.
35. Nitrous oxide is often used as a carrier gas due to its analgesic and anaesthetic sparing effects; it does however possess certain disadvantages most notably diffusion hypoxia and gas filled viscus. Describe these terms.
36. What is meant by the "open method" and "semi-open method" of anaesthesia? Why are these techniques not commonly used today?
37. Give 2 examples of closed anaesthetic circuits.
38. List 4 advantages of closed anaesthetic circuits (also known as re-breathing systems).
39. List 4 disadvantages of closed anaesthetic circuits.
40. Give 4 examples of semi-closed anaesthetic circuits.
41. List 4 advantages of semi-closed anaesthetic circuits.
42. List 4 disadvantages of semi-closed anaesthetic circuits.
43. Give 4 examples of volatile anaesthetic agents and briefly describe their properties.
44. What is the purpose of soda lime?
45. What is a fluabsorber?
46. What is neuromuscular blockade, and list examples of neuromuscular blocking agents describing their properties.