Physical fundamentals of the inhalation anaesthesia

Inhalation anaesthesia is frequently used in daily clinical routine. The application of gaseous anaesthetics depends on particular physical criteria. The physical properties of volatile anaesthetics that influence uptake, distribution and elimination are reviewed. Factors are considered that are important for the uptake of inhalation anaesthetics (alveolar concentration, diffusion parameters, blood solubility, cardiac-output, alveolar-pulmonary-venous difference of partial pressure), in the distribution (tissue solubility, blood flow througth the individual organs and tissues, difference of partial pressure of the anaesthetic between blood and tissue), and their elimination (alveolar ventilation, blood solubility of the anaesthetic, narcotic period, tissue solubility of the anaesthetic).