Anaesthetists Handbook - MEDICAL EDUCATION at University ...

Miscellaneous issues• If you are in theatre and a request for ODP assistance comesthrough, please remember it is a colleague in difficulty who isasking, and please release your ODP if it is safe and appropriateto do so.• If you are the anaesthetist in the Emergency Department, youshould release the ODP back to theatre as soon as possible. Acolleague in theatre released their ODP from their regular dutiesto help you and they are waiting for the ODP to return.Ophthalmic anaesthesia[Appraised by Dr Falguni Choksey, January 2010]Dr Choksey is the lead clinician for ophthalmic anaesthesia.AssessmentYou must not perform local eye blocks without direct supervision untilyou have been assessed as competent by one of the ophthalmicanaesthesia consultants. A list of such anaesthetists is held in thedepartmental office. You should have a proactive approach and seekto complete your assessments so that you can be approved for this.InvestigationsMost patients scheduled for procedures under regional block have noinvestigations done except INR where appropriate. If a patient on theophthalmic day unit needs an ECG, it will be done in the holding bayarea on the trolley. The ECG machine is kept in recovery.Preoperative starvationThis guideline is appropriate for patients undergoing anteriorchamber procedures (e.g. cataract, trabeculectomy etc) underregional block. The following procedures are specifically excludedand should be fasted as per normal (see page 225):• Sedation.• General anaesthesia.• Vitreoretinal procedures.218 Anaesthetists Handbook January 2010