The applications of remifentanil for anaesthesia and intensive care medicine are rapidly expanding. In this tutorial we discuss these applications and the properties of remifentanil that make it so versatile. Considerations for the safe use of remifentanil are also covered...

Heat stroke is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Rapid cooling and resuscitative treatments are the mainstays of treatment. This tutorial discusses the diagnosis, risk factors and the different cooling methods that are used in the management of...

In this tutorial, we describe the important features of the Mapleson and Circle breathing circuits relevant to the practicing anaesthetist. We explain the fresh gas flow requirements to prevent rebreathing, the positioning of the individual components of the circuit as...

This article is based on the Patient Safety Update published by the Safe Anaesthesia Liason Group (SALG), UK. It contains case reports associated with severe harm to patients. In this tutorial, we highlight learning points from incident reports of gastric...

Deep brain stimulation is an increasingly common treatment for Parkinson’s disease and other disorders. The procedure involves placement of electrodes into appropriate brain locations for clinical testing and connection to an implanted stimulator. This tutorial will review current anaesthetic techniques...

In this week’s tutorial we focus on the use of epidurals in children, highlighting the important anatomical and physiological considerations. The tutorial discusses some of the newer developments in this area and the important post-operative management considerations.