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McSleepy is a knock out

Posted May 12, 2008 4:52 PM

From The Engineer:

Researchers at McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) have performed the world's first totally automated administration of an anesthetic using a system they created called 'McSleepy'. The new system administers drugs for general anesthesia and monitors their separate effects completely automatically with no manual intervention. 'We have been working on closed-loop systems, where drugs are administered, their effects continuously monitored, and the doses are adjusted accordingly, for the last five years,' said Dr Thomas M. Hemmerling of McGill's Department of Anesthesia and the Montreal General Hospital, who heads ITAG (Intelligent Technology in Anesthesia research group). 'Think of McSleepy as a sort of humanoid anesthesiologist that thinks like an anesthesiologist, analyses biological information and constantly adapts its own behavior, even recognising monitoring malfunction,' he said. The anesthetic technique was used on a patient who underwent a partial nephrectomy, a procedure that removes a kidney tumour while leaving the non-cancerous part of the kidney intact, over a period of three hours and 30 minutes.

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Guru
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#1

Re: McSleepy is a knock out

05/13/2008 7:58 PM

I must confess to nervousness at the thought of where this research appears to be travelling.

Just a few short years, and we will be slid automatically into the Operating Room, where no other is present, a com0uterised system will apply the anaesthetics, automatic surgeon does the work, and we are whisked away for recovery in a small cubicle where we are attended by machines.

Anyone ever see battery hens?

Kind Regards....

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#2
In reply to #1

Re: McSleepy is a knock out

05/13/2008 8:59 PM

I would suggest it won't take even a few years. I had occasion to have an electro physiological study done twice on my heart. The first time took 5 hours on the operating table (completely awake). The 2nd time, ~3 years later, was conducted in a darkened room with me sedated and no physician in attendance. I asked a nurse, who was required to sit in the room, where the doctors were and she replied they were at the computer down the hall monitoring me and that there was nothing to worry about. That was all fine until the last part of the test where they stopped my heart and then shocked me to get it going again. They were using a metal plate which they charged that they had placed me on when I laid on the Operating Table. That was one H--- of a frightening experience, like being sucker-punched when in a deep sleep.

They assured me my heart was fine. I figure if it hadn't been fine, the test would have killed me from the shock.

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