Summary
The use of any anesthetic agent must be based on specific knowledge of its benefits and risks, how it may produce toxicity and in which patients it may be most safely administered. Clearly, the perfect anesthetic agent does not yet exist and individual patient circumstances will continue to dictate the choice and use of inhaled anesthetics in clinical practice. Reports such as that by Tungea et al. remind us of the need for continued vigilance. As ongoing research attempts to uncover emerging toxicities, the clinician is challenged to balance new information with current clinical practices and choose the safest, most effective agents for each patient.
Conclusion
L’usage de tout anesthésique doit reposer sur la connaissance spécifique de ses avantages et de ses risques, de la façon qu’il peut produire de la toxicité et des patients chez qui il peut être administré sans danger. Certes, l’anesthésique parfait n’existe pas encore et les particularités individuelles des patients guideront encore le choix et l’usage cliniques des anesthésiques par inhalation. Des articles comme celui de Tunget coll. rappellent la nécessité d’être toujours vigilant. Au moment où la recherche en cours tente de découvrir de nouvelles toxicités, le clinicien fait face au défi d’équilibrer les informations récentes et les habitudes cliniques courantes et de choisir l’anesthésique le plus sûr et le plus efficace pour chaque patient.
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Martin, J.L. Volatile anesthetics and liver injury: A clinical update or what every anesthesiologist should know. Can J Anaesth 52, 125–129 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03027715
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03027715