[Anesthesia, anesthetics and anesthesia-related technology].

In this review, the author summarizes the recent development in the anesthesia methods, anesthetics, and anesthesia-related technology including intraoperative monitors and anesthesia medical information systems. Modern anesthesia workstations have features called fresh gas decoupling systems to prevent excess inspiratory volume and pressures that may induce barotraumas or volutrauma to the patients' lungs. Compared to volatile inhalational anesthetics, intravenous anesthetics might have several advantages. Nowadays, intravenous anesthetic propofol is administered with recently established computer-managed syringe pumps called target controlled infusion (TCI). Also at present anesthesiologists can titrate dose of anesthetics with the use of excellent electroencephalography (EEG) monitor named bispectral index (BIS) as a monitor of pharmacodynamic response. In addition, newly designed anesthesia medical information system is under development. All of the advancement in anesthesia technologies facilitates advanced and complicated procedures in the thoracic surgery. It is hoped such advancement of anesthesiology will play roles in better treatment and outcome in patients undergoing respiratory and thoracic surgical procedures.