A Reminder to Anesthesiologists: Low-Flow Anesthesia Anestezistlere Bir Hatırlatma: Düşük Akımlı Anestezi

DOI: 10.4328/JCAM.3880 Received: 13.09.2015 Accepted: 06.10.2015 Published Online: 16.10.2015 Corresponding Author: Yeliz Kılıç, Clinic of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. GSM: +905053573180 E-Mail: [email protected] Scientific letter Although many modern anesthesia machines are suitable for using minimal/low-flow anesthetic techniques and closed-circuit drug delivery methods, high (4-6 L/min) gas flow anesthesia is generally preferred by the majority of the anesthesiologists in routine clinical practice [1]. The aim of this brief report is to indicate the benefits and potential risks of low-flow anesthetic techniques, and to attract the attention of anesthesiologists on this important issue which is not completely clear for most of those. The classification of gas flow rates described by Baker [2] in 1994 has been well accepted by the anesthesia world (Table 1). According to this classification, gas flows less than 1 L/min are defined as low-flow anesthesia (LFA). The term of LFA is generally used to define the inhalation anesthesia techniques that have a re-breathing rate at least 50% and a semi-closed re-breathing system. Although these low-flow anesthetic techniques have been known for a long while, some reasons such as traditional anesthetic habits, little or no training in the use of these techniques during the residency, and concerns on providing a desirable anesthetic depth limited their widely use.