Some important points with regards to using Ether:
- Always use anaesthetic grade ether. Never ever use solvent ether. Pulmonary oedema can occur due to impurities.
- With the change in brand, smell the ether any doubt compare with solvent ether.
- The simple test is to dip a blue litmus strip. Discard if it turns red. It indicates presence of sulphurous acid, which is a manufacturing impurity. If available do the aldehyde test or peroxide test.
- Store ether in a dark cool place in amber coloured bottle
- Do not overfill the bottle. The boiling point is 35ยบ C and if overfilled a little rise in temperature the bottle will burst increasing the fire hazard. That is why we find that ether bottles are never completely full.
- Ether evaporates very fast and hence if there is any gap in the bottle cap (cracked or loose fitting or plastic cap missing or torn) the ether vapour escapes easily and one finds the bottle empty after few days.
- 2% ether vapour cannot change the biochemical parameters like blood sugar, serum creatinine or blood urea. It is perfectly safe in practice even though you may have been frightened by your teachers.
- Use of trifluperazine prevents nausea and vomiting of ether. For an adult do not give more than 5 mg. (½ cc) during anaesthesia and 1-2 mg. in children. The infants and small children tolerate ether and do not require any anti emetic.
- Sequil should not be given in bigger closes before and after anaesthesia as it causes hypotension and oculogyric crisis.
