Closed Circle Systems A New Direction in the Practice of Anesthesia

Abstract

On the basis of the near-constant uptake of inhalation anesthetics [by humans] at the alveolar membrane, the large closed-circuit volume which acts as a buffer, and the effect of concentration on uptake, a simple and practical technique of closed-circuit anesthesia evolved. After initial high flow wash-in of anesthetic gases into the FRC (functional residual capacity), a nearly constant low fresh-gas flow can be maintained.