Some of the important technological landmarks in anesthesia in the immediate future include advances in nanotechnology, robotics, smart pumps, automation and artificial intelligence in clinical decisions, said Dr.Gopinath Ramachandran, Professor and Head, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, delivering the Prof. Vijaylakshmi Kamat Memorial Oration yesterday on 'Technology in Anesthesia - Looking Forward' at Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai.
Listing the successful use of
advanced technologies, Dr. Gopinath Ramachandran observed that nanocapsules,
nanospheres, nanoparticles and implantable drug delivery systems can help in
complex situations. The Kepler Intubation System (KIS), a robotic system first
used at the Montreal General Hospital in April last year, was found to be very
effective.
Another landmark is automated anesthesia system using NI LabVIEW - a closed loop control system using graphical programming software that automatically monitors a patient's depth of consciousness, level of pain and muscle relaxation to calculate and administer appropriate doses of anesthetic drugs. Smart pumps using special softwares alert users to potential errors, provide dosing guidelines with a library of medications and "just in time" clinical advisories.
Earlier in his key-note address Dr.S.Rangaswami, Vice Chancellor, Sri Ramachandra University said that in spite of automation and technology the dexterity and skill of a trained anesthesiologist will help prevent a complex situation from developing into a complicated one. The oration was part of Ramachandra Anesthesia Continuing Education Programme (RACE 2012) which was attended by anesthesiologists and students from all over India.
Source: Medindia
