common side effects like dropping blood pressure or nausea," says
Jay Horowitz, CRNA, ARNP, of Quality Anesthesia Care in
Sarasota, Fla. Yes, the effects of modern anesthetic drugs wear off
fast and new drugs are in the pipeline. But Mr. Horowitz says
maybe the future of anesthesia lies in non-pharmacologic methods
that could greatly reduce the need for anesthesia providers so that
"eventually an anesthesia provider functions much more like a
pilot of 747 that mostly flies on autopilot."
While the Sedasys computer-assisted personalized sedation
(CAPS) system didn't catch on, Mr. Horowitz thinks integrated
anesthesia machine technology that automates anesthesia delivery
could take hold. What would that look like? "It would incorporate
the usual vaporizers and gas flows, but also a syringe pump and
an integrated array of sensors to monitor vital signs and brain
activity that adjust anesthetic depth — all while keeping a clear
record of the anesthetic," says Mr. Horowitz.
2. More ambulatory procedures under sedation
Just as a cardiologist can perform heart valve procedures in a
catheterization lab, anesthesiologist Peter J. Papadakos, MD, FCCM,
FAARC, envisions a time when an orthopedic surgeon can "micro"
repair joints in his office rather than replacing them in the OR. "As
more surgery becomes noninvasive, we don't need the operation any-
more," says Dr. Papadakos, a professor in the department of anesthe-
siology & perioperative medicine at the University of Rochester (N.Y.)
Medical Center.
3. Wireless monitors
Dr. Papadakos also predicts that you'll be able to follow patients
throughout their care with a wireless monitoring system. "A small lit-
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