TYK139
Minimum alveolar concentration in children is best described by:
a) The lowest detectable level of anesthetic in the alveoli
b) The dose of anesthetic at which most patients will not move with incision
c) The dose (in the absence of any other agents) at which half of patients will move with incision
d) The combined effects of opiates, neuromuscular blocking agents, and inhalational agents on the brain
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Answer
Answer c.
MAC is defined as the dose at which 50% of patients will not move (and 50% will move) with surgical stimulation/incision, in the absence of any other medications that may affect this response. Interestingly, while MAC is additive in adults, in children only isoflurane demonstrates this phenomenon.
Notes
- This question originally printed in the Pediatric Anesthesiology Review Topics kindle book series, and appears courtesy of Naerthwyn Press, LLC.
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