Equipment in anaesthesia

The anaesthetist will routinely use many different types of medical devices during normal working practice, and will have access to many other devices for more challenging use in emergency and other difficult scenarios. The anaesthetist will expect and rely on each medical device to work first time and not to compromise the safety of the user, the patient, their relatives, or other healthcare workers in the vicinity. The equipment will also be expected to be effective, that is, that it will perform as expected when used in a defined population of patients (e.g. small children). Manufacturers and users of equipment use risk management procedures to reduce the risk to patients and others of using the equipment. Following use, the equipment will need to be reprocessed to make it safe for use for a subsequent patient, or disposed of safely.