THE LEIDEN ANESTHESIA SIMULATOR

We describe an anaesthesia simulator capable of simulating all possibl e situations during anaesthesia. The Leiden anaesthesia simulator (LAS ) may be used with most commercially available anaesthesia equipment a nd monitors, which are connected to the simulated patient as they are to a patient. A commercially available intubation manikin attached to an electromechanical lung model represents the patient. The lung allow s both spontaneous and mechanical ventilation. Compliance, resistance, tidal volume and ventilatory frequency may be altered by a controllin g computer. Carbon dioxide production and oxygen uptake are simulated. Physiological signals (ECG, arterial, pulmonary arterial and central venous pressure waveforms) generated by a signal generator under softw are control provide input to the monitors. All types of ECG disturbanc es may be simulated. There are facilities for simulating non-invasive arterial pressure measurement and pulse oximetry. A series of physiolo gical models is being developed to control interactions between the ca rdiovascular and respiratory variables. During a simulation session, a pre-defined scenario is presented to the trainee. The task of the tra inee is to diagnose and treat the problem as if in real life. The simu lator experiences on the LAS were judged as highly realistic by 28 sub jects. This simulator is currently being used for teaching and trainin g of anaesthetists, trainees and anaesthesia personnel and for researc h.