Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Apr 1996
Comparative StudyDisposable and autoclavable anaesthetic circuits: the future is now.
The potential transmission of disease by anaesthetic and ventilator breathing circuits has resulted in the widespread use of filters. Convincing scientific evidence of their complete efficacy is lacking particularly in regard to viruses. ⋯ These have been overcome by the development of disposable and autoclavable carbon dioxide absorbers and breathing circuits. Disposable equipment is more expensive than filters but autoclavable circuits and absorbers are of comparable cost or cheaper.
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Generally the basic sciences of physics, chemistry and mathematics and the applied sciences of anatomy physiology and pharmacology are associated with the history of the development and advancement of anaesthesia. In considering the history of infection control in anaesthesia, the contribution of microbiology must be added to the above. When sifting through old books and journals it is often difficult to understand the stimuli for the leaps of progress; I believe the zeitgeist is often the invisible (to our eyes) all important factor. An attempt to briefly illustrate some of the main events and characters follows.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Apr 1996
Revision of the anaesthetic aspects of an infection control policy following reporting of hepatitis C nosocomial infection.
Following the report by the N. S. ⋯ Review of the existing policies of other organizations and the published scientific data in this area was the basis of the revision. The final policy as it pertains to anaesthesia requires universal precautions, disposal or decontamination and high level disinfection of instruments and apparatus that come into contact with patients or blood or body substances and protection of the breathing circuit by a filter with disposal or high-level disinfection of all parts of the circuit not so protected for every patient.