PHYSICS, LAWS AND PRINCIPLES IN

ANESTHESIA
JOAN T. BARANGAN MD,DPBA

GAS LAWS OXYGEN CONTAINMENT

Boyles Law

At constant temperature, volume is inversely

proportional to pressure

If the pressure exerted on a volume of gas is doubled,

the volume is halved

P is 100, becomes 200, V initially 100, becomes 50

Charles Law
at constant pressure, volume is directly proportional
temperature
- if temperature of a gas is raised to one degree
Celsius, the volume increases by one ml
Gay Lussacs Law
at constant volume, temperature is directly
proportional to pressure
Temperature raised to 1 C, increase in pressure by 1
mmHg
Daltons Law
In a mixture of gases, each gas exerts its pressure
independently of the others
combination of nitrous oxide and a volatile
anesthetic
partial pressure
Avogadros Law

equal volumes of all gases under the same conditions

of pressure and temperature contain the same number
of molecules
- Avogadros Number 6 x 10 23 molecules per gram
( depending on the molecular weight of the gas)
LAWS, PRINCIPLES IN RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY

Gas Flow in Anesthesia Machine

Poiseuilles law
Raw = 8 x length x gas viscocity
Pi x radius 4
Laminar Flow gas flow at different velocities,
velocity highest at center, lowest at periphery
- seen in low gas flows
Poiseuilles law

oxygen flow through the ET tube

radius is significant

increase radius (size of ET tube), decrease airway

resistance
Grahams law
Pressure= flow 2 x Gas density
gradient
radius 5

Anesth: Laws & Principles in AnesthesiaPage 1

turbulent flow random movement of gas molecules down air

passages
- resistant to airway caliber
- occurs at High gas flows
- seen in large airways
Reynolds number
= linear velocity x diameter x gas density
Gas Viscocity
RN of less than 1000 laminar flow
RN of more than 1500- turbulent flow
LAWS, PRINCIPLES- RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY
Bohr Equation

ratio of dead space over the tidal volume

dead space- part of respiratory airway that
doesnt participate in gas exchange
- 2ml per kg
tidal volume- volume of each normal breath
- 6-8 ml per kg in adults
example: 75 kg adult
1: 3 ratio ( 33 percent);
Law of Laplace

surface tension of alveoli

pulmonary surfactant (gas fluid interface) lining

alveoli

decreases alveolar surface tension

alveolar = 2 x surface tension
pressure
radius
LAWS, PRINCIPLES IN 0XYGEN TRANSPORT
Henrys Law

concentration of a gas in a solution is proportional to

its partial pressure

amount of oxygen dissolved in blood can be derived

gas concentration= 0.003 ml/dl/mmHg x partial pressure
0.003 - gas solubility coefficient for 02 at normal body temp.
Bohr effect

increase in blood Hydrogen concentration reduces

Oxygen binding to hemoglobin

facilitates oxygen release to tissues

Fick equation

expresses the relationship of Oxygen consumption ,

0xygen content and the cardiac output

arteriovenous difference is a measure of overall

adequacy of oxygen delivery

CO2 TRANSPORT
hamburger or chloride shift

venous side of systemic capillaries, C02 enters red

cells and converted to bicarbonate, then diffuses out
of red cells into plasma, Chloride move from plasma
into red cells to maintain electrical balance

In pulmonary capillaries, Chloride ions move out of

red cells as bicarbonate ions reenter RBC for
conversion back to C02 ,which diffuses out of
alveoli

C02 TRANSPORT IN BLOOD

Haldane Effect

deoxygenated Hgb has a greater affinity (3.5 times)

for C02 than does Oxygenated Hgb

venous blood carries more C02 than arterial blood

LAWS, PRINCIPLES IN CARDIOVASCULAR
PHYSIOLOGY/ ANESTHESIA
Ohms Law basic principle of electricity
E= IxR
E- electromotive force in volts
I current in amperes
R- resistance in ohms

Anesth: Laws & Principles in AnesthesiaPage 2

- forms the basis of cardiovascular physiology

equation
BP = CO x SVR
CARDIOVASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY
Starlings Law of the Heart

Relationship between cardiac output and left

ventricular end diastolic volume

when heart rate is constant, cardiac output is directly

proportional to left ventricular end- diastolic volume

when excessive end diastolic volume is reached,

cardiac output does not appreciably change but may
even decrease

CO= HR x Stroke Volume

Lambert Beer Law

Principle of pulse oximetry follow this law

P.O. measures oxygen saturation of arterial blood

oximetry depends on the measurement of oxygenated

and deoxygenated hemoglobin, which differs in the
absorption of red and infrared light. Oxyhgb absorbs
more infrared light and deoxyhgb absorbs more red
light

change in light absorption during arterial pulsations is

the basis of oximetry determination