Fundamentals of Anaesthesia for the FRCA: Physics, Clinical Measurement and Equipment

A good knowledge of physics, measurement, and equipment is essential for practising anaesthetists. However, these subjects do present considerable problems because few anaesthetists have any background in physics. This book explains the physical principles and applications of physics in anaesthesia, and the statistical methods that anaesthetists are required to understand. The book includes sections on equipment and safety in anaesthesia, and electrical safety. Fully updated for the second edition, the book also includes new chapters on the depth of anaesthesia and on electrical safety. The contents are based on the syllabus of the FRCA exam in mathematics, physics, clinical measurement, monitoring, and equipment. The book starts with mathematics, statistics and physics background, not only to enhance the understanding for what follows in the book, but also because these basic sciences are fundamental to many other aspects of medical science. Areas, which in the authors' teaching experience, candidates have found particularly troublesome, such as electricity and electrical safety, are discussed in some detail in order to clarify.

Dr Patrick T. Magee, Consultant in Anaesthesia, Royal United Hospital Bath and Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Bath, UK

Dr Mark A. Tooley, Visiting professor of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University of the West of England and an Honorary Consultant Clinical Scientist (Medical Physics) at the United Bristol Hospitals NHS Trust, UK