Anesthesia in Satellite Locations

Introduction The provision of anesthesia outside the operating room provides a unique set of challenges. The standards and principles that underlie the care of the patient should not be abandoned in satellite locations. However, patients who are referred for procedures in satellite locations may present with minimal preoperative information, possess challenging physical and anesthetic histories, and be scheduled in such a manner as to limit preparation time. The layout and special requirements of the satellite location can create unexpected barriers and may limit access to the patient and the availability of the anesthesia equipment. The challenges for the anesthesiologists include an unfamiliar environment, inadequate anesthesia support and insufficient number of trained personnel, and cramped, dark quarters and variability of monitoring modalities. In radiation oncology, MRI and occasionally the GI suite problems with noise and suboptimal positioning of the patient may be an issue.