CURRENT AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ON INHALED ANESTHETICS

The discovery of ether anesthesia made modern surgery possible. Succes sive improvements produced today's inhaled anesthetics, compounds that allow precise control over the anesthetic state without compromising safety. Such control extends to induction and maintenance of, and reco very from, anesthesia. The greatest emphasis is on the last, particula rly the rapid recovery obtained with anesthetics with low solubility i n blood and tissues. The lowest solubility is produced by halogenation with fluoride to the exclusion of other halogens. The safety of anest hesia has many components. Important among these is molecular stabilit y that permits elimination of the unchanged anesthetic molecule in exp ired air and provides resistance to degradation by metabolism and by c arbon dioxide absorbents. Halogenation with fluorine produces more sta ble, safer anesthetics. Greater stability, lower solubility, and rapid recovery can decrease direct and indirect costs.