Anaesthetists Handbook - MEDICAL EDUCATION at University ...

Miscellaneous issuesThere is no clinical indication to withhold food or drink from patientswho are scheduled for operations in the anterior chamber (cataractand trabeculectomy)). These patients should be offered a drink (tea,coffee, juice, water) while they are waiting on the ward for theiroperation.Checking the sideThere is a departmental procedure for checking the operative side inophthalmic anaesthesia.It is the responsibility of the anaesthetist to carry out two checkswhen administering local anaesthetic before ophthalmic surgery.1. A check of the consent form and the operative side must bemade before instillation of eye drops.2. A repeat check of the operative side must be carried outimmediately before injection of local anaesthetic.Oxygen prescription[Appraised by Dr Alistair Brookes, January 2009]UHCW provides Intersurgical venturi oxygen facemasks in a range ofconcentrations;Blue 24% (minimum oxygen flow rate 2 L min -1 )White 28% (minimum oxygen flow rate 4 L min -1 )Yellow 35% (minimum oxygen flow rate 8 L min -1 )Red 40% (minimum oxygen flow rate 10 L min -1 )Green 60% (minimum oxygen flow rate 15 L min -1 )Nasal cannulas and non-rebreathe reservoir oxygen masks are alsoprovided.Only the 40% (red) or 60% (green) venturi masks should be used forpostoperative recovery, unless there is a strong clinical indication touse a lower concentration. These are fixed performance devices;Anaesthetists Handbook January 2010 219