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07 / Anaesthesia · Crisis drills

Crisis drills

13 algorithms in 5 groups, hidden one step at a time. Decide your move, then reveal the algorithm’s: reading one is not the same as being able to run one.

Airway
Breathing
Circulation
Drugs and reactions
Neuraxial

Local anaesthetic systemic toxicity

Intravascular injection or absorption of a large local anaesthetic dose

Recognise it

  • Perioral tingling, metallic taste, tinnitus and visual disturbance early.
  • Agitation, confusion and then seizures.
  • Bradycardia, broad complexes, ventricular arrhythmias and arrest.
  • It can present up to an hour after injection, not only immediately.

The usual mistake

Treating an unexplained seizure or arrhythmia after a block as anything other than toxicity until the lipid is running.

On the cart

Lipid emulsion 20%MidazolamAdrenaline

Do it in order

0/6
  1. 1Hidden until you have committed

  2. 2Hidden until you have committed

  3. 3Hidden until you have committed

  4. 4Hidden until you have committed

  5. 5Hidden until you have committed

  6. 6Hidden until you have committed

Decide your first move before you reveal it. Rehearsing the order is the whole point: in a real crisis the failure is jumping to step four.