EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Anaesthetic syringe pump

Our anaethetists want to buy asenas for delivering agents. Apparently it will be clinically better for the patient and save money on agent.
Does anyone have experience of using these pumps in theatres?
What alternatives are there?

John,
Do you mean the TIVA? (Total Intravenous Anaesthesia)
Look at the SIVA (Society for Intravenous Anaesthesia) web site for more info.
www.sivauk.org
Robert

Robert,
Probably is that type. I have a meeting in theatres to discuss whether or not they should buy these pumps. Don't know much about the clinical benefits, but looks promising. I will be doing more listening than talking.

John the only Asena I know of is the Alaris Medical Systems current range of infusion pumps, mainly syringe but including one volumetric pump. The syringe pump range includes a TIVA and a TCI pump used for intravenous anaesthesia with e.g. Propofol; Remifentanil ect. http://www.alarismed.com/products/infusion.shtml

Like RoJo I think your anaesthetists are referring to intravenous anaesthesia drug deliver not volatile anaesthetic agent delivery.

Thanks Bill, bit scary if they were trying to deliver sevo via a syringe driver. (You spotted my deliberate mistake). You are correct, it is an intravenous anaesthesia drug not a volatile AA.

John, Have a look at the new Asena PK pump on the Alaris website. This might be the one you need.

I would be very interesterd to know if intravenous anaesthesia is the way forward, thus doing away with gases.
What are the advantages/disadvantages?

The Asena PK can be operated in TIVA or TCI modes in anaesthesia applications. I think some of the benefits of the drug used with these pumps (propofol/diprivan) are that it can be used for induction and maintenance, it's available generically hence it is now relatively cheap, it's fast-acting and quickly metabolised therefore convenient for some cases, I guess, since patient induction and post-operative recovery is fast with relatively few side-effects. Can anyone elaborate? I have little knowledge of anaesthesia.

John,
Have a look at the Fresenius range of pumps as well, they do the appropriate pumps. I have not used them only seen them.
They also do a generic version of the drugs at a lower price that the branded stuff so your pharmacy might be interested in this as part of a package deal.
The agent to contact in the UK is Graham Sherrell 07771 616233 or www.aquarius-medical.co.uk.

The advantage of IV anaesthesia is the extremely short half life of the drugs you can get someone under fast, maintain them just under with quick manipulation of the dose and wake them up quickly. So there is only a very short interim period of sleepiness and the long term effects of drowsiness are negligable. You can almost switch a patient on and off at will unlike gas anaesthesia.
These days an anesthetic machine only needs to be a simple ventilator and a few syringe pumps - a lot easier for us to maintain.
Robert

Yes, John, it looks like TIVA is indeed the way forward in anaesthesia, for all the reasons that Robert so succinctly lists.

Even more of an incentive to become a “pump boy” now, then, Mr. Lyniswern (my fellow desert-appreciator).