8 Pre-anaesthetic preparation of the emergency patient

Pre-anaesthetic preparation is a vital component of safe anaesthesia. The emergency patient is at higher risk in almost all surgical circumstances, not least because adequate preparation is more difficult. A variety of factors, including the nature of the emergency, cardiovascular disturbance, fluid shifts and the presence of a full stomach will render the patient more at risk. Furthermore, the presence of pre-existing disease, often poorly controlled, may further hazard the delivery of safe anaesthesia. This chapter, explores these aspects in greater detail.