Oxygen Therapy, Mechanical Ventilation, and Anesthetic Management of Patients with Respiratory Disease

Sedation and general anesthesia produce profound changes in respiratory function, with the degree of change depending on drugs employed, species involved, depth of anesthesia, surgical procedure, and the health of the individual animal. Of greatest concern is significant reductions in gas exchange causing inadequate oxygen delivery to vital tissues and/or carbon dioxide removal from the body. It is important for the clinician to understand the physiologic effects of oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation, in addition to their indications and contraindications, to maximize their benefits and minimize any potential negative effects associated with their use in the perianesthetic period. This chapter also discusses considerations for anesthetic management of patients with underlying respiratory diseases that require anesthesia for a variety of procedures.