Section IV - 24
The Anesthesia Machine

Yes, the anesthetist needs a new vaporizer. You should be able to turn on both vaporizers at the same time to switch medications. Yes, the anesthetist needs a new vaporizer. There must be a leak in the vaporizer as the anesthesia machine has a safety mechanism that prevents the vaporizer from turning on if there is a leak. No, the vaporizer does not need to be replaced. You explain that there is a safety feature on the anesthesia machine that will not let him switch volatile anesthetics during an operation. No, the vaporizer does not need to be replaced. You explain that there is a safety feature on the anesthesia machine that will not let more than one vaporizer open at a time. No, the vaporizer does not need to be replaced. You tell the anesthetist that if he wants to switch medications, he should just add some desflurane to the sevoflurane vaporizer rather than use a different vaporizer.