Introduction

The continuous intraoperative observation and collection of information in order to evaluate the patients well being constitutes intraoperative monitoring. Because anesthesia and surgery have profound effects on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous system, repeated assessment of the patient's physical status is essential in maintaining homeostasis and in returning the patient to the pre anesthetic state. One of the primary responsibilities of an anesthetist is to act as a guardian of the anesthetized patient during surgery. Optimal vigilance requires your subjective observation enhanced by the use of monitoring equipment which provides objective data to the anesthetist's subjective observations. This session will help you to adopt knowledge and skill with the right attitude to monitor anesthetized patient and identify the normal and abnormal values in order to react to adverse physiologic changes or trends before they result in irreversible damage.