Apparatus and method for total intravenous anesthesia delivery and associated patient monitoring

An apparatus for administering total intravenous- anesthesia to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent carried by the housing;
• intravenous delivery means carried by the housing for controllably intravenously delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient and without an inhaled anesthesia agent;
• said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof wear off relatively quickly upon stopping intravenous infusion;
• at least one monitor carried by said housing for monitoring at least one patient characteristic during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient;
• and
• telemetry means carried by said housing and cooperating with said at least one monitor for providing telemetry for the at least one patient characteristic, wherein said telemetry means comprises a wireless transceiver operable over a cellular telephone network.

An apparatus for administering total intravenous anesthesia to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent carried by the housing;
• intravenous delivery means carried by the housing for controllably intravenously delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient and without an inhaled anesthesia agent;
• said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof wear off relatively quickly upon stopping intravenous infusion;
• at least one monitor carried by said housing for monitoring at least one patient characteristic during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient;
• and
• voice channel means carried by said housing for providing a voice communications channel.

An apparatus for administering total intravenous anesthesia to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent carried by the housing;
• intravenous delivery means carried by the housing for controllably intravenously delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient and without an inhaled anesthesia agent;
• said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof wear off relatively quickly upon stopping intravenous infusion;
• and
• at least one monitor carried by said housing for monitoring at least one patient characteristic during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient;
• wherein said at least one supply comprises a second supply of a second intravenous anesthesia agent carried by said housing, and wherein said first intravenous anesthesia agent comprises an analgesic, and wherein said second intravenous anesthesia agent comprises a relatively quick offset amnestic.

An apparatus for administering total intravenous anesthesia to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent carried by the housing;
• intravenous delivery means carried by the housing for controllably intravenously delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient and without an inhaled anesthesia agent;
• said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof wear off relatively quickly upon stopping intravenous infusion;
• at least one monitor carried by said housing for monitoring at least one patient characteristic during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient;
• and
• a storage cabinet associated with said housing for storing consumable materials for total intravenous anesthesia.

An apparatus for administering total intravenous anesthesia to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent carried by the housing;
• intravenous delivery means carried by the housing for controllably intravenously delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient and without an inhaled anesthesia agent;
• said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof wear off relatively quickly upon stopping intravenous infusion;
• and
• telecommunication means carried by said housing for providing at least one of a telemetry channel and a voice communications channel during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient, wherein said telecommunications means comprises a wireless transceiver.

An apparatus for administering total intravenous anesthesia to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent carried by the housing;
• intravenous delivery means carried by the housing for controllably intravenously delivering said at least one, intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient and without an inhaled anesthesia agent;
• said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof wear off relatively quickly upon stopping intravenous infusion;
• and
• telecommunication means carried by said housing for providing at least one of a telemetry channel and a voice communications channel during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient;
• wherein said at least one supply comprises a second supply of a second intravenous anesthesia agent carried by said housing, and wherein said first intravenous anesthesia agent comprises an analgesic, and wherein said second intravenous anesthesia agent comprises a relatively quick offset amnestic.

An apparatus for administering total intravenous anesthesia to a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent carried by the housing;
• intravenous delivery means carried by the housing for controllably intravenously delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient and without an inhaled anesthesia agent;
• said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof year off relatively quickly upon stepping intravenous infusion;
• telecommunication means carried by said housing for providing at least one of a telemetry channel and a voice communications channel during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient;
• and
• a storage cabinet associated with said housing for storing consumable materials for total intravenous anesthesia.

A method for administering total intravenous anesthesia to a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing carrying at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent, at least one infusion pump for delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent, and at least one patient characteristic monitor, the at least one monitor comprising at least an electrocardiogram;
• controllably intravenously delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient from the at least one respective supply carried by the housing and using the at least one infusion pump also carried by the housing so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient, said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof wear off relatively quickly upon stopping intravenous infusion of said first intravenous anesthesia agent;
• and
• monitoring at least one patient characteristic using the at least one patient characteristic monitor carried by the housing during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient.

A method for administering total intravenous anesthesia to a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing carrying at least one supply of at least one intravenous anesthesia agent, at least one infusion pump for delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent, and at least one patient characteristic monitor;
• controllably intravenously delivering said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent to the patient from the at least one respective supply carried by the housing and using the at least one infusion pump also carried by the housing so that total intravenous anesthesia is achieved in the patient, said at least one intravenous anesthesia agent comprising a first intravenous anesthesia agent having a relatively quick offset so that effects thereof wear off relatively quickly upon stooping intravenous infusion of said first intravenous anesthesia agent;
• and
• monitoring at least one patient characteristic using the at least one patient characteristic monitor carried by the housing during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient;
• wherein the step of providing further comprises the step of providing the housing having a wireless telecommunications transceiver carried by the housing;
• and further comprising the step of using the wireless telecommunications transceiver for providing at least one of a telemetry channel and a voice communications channel during total intravenous anesthesia of the patient.