189. Nuts and Bolts: Understanding and Using Your Anesthesia Machine

Only available as part of a package

Anesthetic machines are intimidating, complicated, temperamental pieces of equipment. For better or worse, veterinary patients require general anesthesia for a number of procedures, which means that a good understanding of the anesthesia machine is necessary. This lecture will break down the anesthesia machine into its basic parts to provide an understanding of how it functions. Also covered will be correct usage of different systems (rebreathing, non-rebreathing), techniques (low-flow, closed circuit), and troubleshooting.

Katrina Lafferty

BFA, RLAT, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia/Analgesia)

Veterinary Technician, Surgical Services | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, Wis.

Katrina Lafferty is one of less than 200 technicians worldwide to hold a veterinary technician specialty in anesthesia. After earning her veterinary technology degree in 2005, she became a senior technician at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in the Anesthesia and Pain Management Department. In 2016, Katrina moved to the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, where she is a lead technician in the Surgery and Anesthesia Department. In her current position, she is responsible for improving and innovating the anesthetic and analgesic care for the center's non-human primate species. With a passion for anesthesia and pain management, particularly in exotic species, Katrina has had the privilege of working with a veritable menagerie of animals, ranging from a two-day-old calf to a 60-year-old tortoise. She has written written numerous articles and textbook chapter and presented at more than 40 continuing education seminars around the world.