Anesthesiology in the 21st century: analgesic, sedative and anesthetic focusing.
The specialty of anesthesiology is on the verge of a major technological evolution (revolution) which will utilize the computative and logic powers of the computer as well as the recent and rapid advances in magnetic imaging and laser and drug receptor technology to introduce the concept of anesthetic drug focusing by the beginning of the next century. This will result in the need for only a few molecules of future anesthetic compounds because they will only be necessary at a limited number of receptors in a few neurons or nuclei in the brain and/or spinal cord. Analgesic, sedative and anesthetic action may not be dependent on any drug but rather be produced solely by a wave form or energy source focused via a computer on the appropriate receptors in the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves. Anesthetic drug focusing will enable anesthetic depth to be ideal, anesthetic action to be localized to only those cells, tissues or organs where it is desired and anesthetic onset and termination to be measured in micro-seconds.
D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000639:trends*; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D003201:Computers; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008081:Liposomes; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects
D000700:Analgesics; D000777:Anesthetics; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D008081:Liposomes; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface