Guedel's classification is a means of assessing of depth of

general anesthesia General anaesthesia (UK) or general anesthesia (US) is a medically induced loss of consciousness that renders the patient unarousable even with painful stimuli. This effect is achieved by administering either intravenous or inhalational general ...

introduced by

Arthur Ernest Guedel Arthur Ernest Guedel (June 13, 1883 – June 10, 1956) was an American anesthesiologist. He was known for his studies on the uptake and distribution of inhalational anesthetics, as well for defining the various stages of general anesthesia. The g ...

(1883-1956) in 1920.

History

Since general anesthesia first became widely used in late 1846, assessment of anesthetic depth was a problem. To determine the depth of anesthesia, the

anesthetist Anesthesiology, anaesthesiology, or anaesthesia is the medical specialty concerned with the total perioperative care of patients before, during and after surgery. It encompasses anesthesia, intensive care medicine, critical emergency medicin ...

relies on a series of physical signs of the

patient A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other heal ...

. In 1847,

John Snow John Snow (15 March 1813 – 16 June 1858) was an English physician and a leader in the development of anaesthesia and medical hygiene. He is considered one of the founders of modern epidemiology, in part because of his work in tracing the ...

(1813-1858) and Francis Plomley attempted to describe various stages of general anesthesia, but Guedel in 1937 described a detailed system which was generally accepted. This classification was designed for use of a sole inhalational anesthetic agent,

diethyl ether Diethyl ether, or simply ether, is an organic compound in the ether class with the formula , sometimes abbreviated as (see Pseudoelement symbols). It is a colourless, highly volatile, sweet-smelling ("ethereal odour"), extremely flammable li ...

(commonly referred to as simply "ether"), in patients who were usually premedicated with

morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies ('' Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a pain medication, and is also commonly used recreationally, or to make other illicit opioids. T ...

and

atropine Atropine is a tropane alkaloid and anticholinergic medication used to treat certain types of nerve agent and pesticide poisonings as well as some types of slow heart rate, and to decrease saliva production during surgery. It is typically given ...

. At that time, intravenous anesthetic agents were not yet in common use, and

neuromuscular-blocking drug Neuromuscular-blocking drugs block neuromuscular transmission at the neuromuscular junction, causing paralysis of the affected skeletal muscles. This is accomplished via their action on the post-synaptic acetylcholine (Nm) receptors. In cli ...

s were not used at all during general anesthesia. The introduction of

neuromuscular blocking agents Neuromuscular blocking agents, or in abbreviation, NMBAs, are chemical agents that paralyse skeletal muscles by blocking the movement of neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction. They are often used during general anesthesia to optimize int ...

(such as

succinylcholine Suxamethonium chloride, also known as suxamethonium or succinylcholine, or simply sux by medical abbreviation, is a medication used to cause short-term paralysis as part of general anesthesia. This is done to help with tracheal intubation or ele ...

and

tubocurarine Tubocurarine (also known as ''d''-tubocurarine or DTC) is a toxic alkaloid historically known for its use as an arrow poison. In the mid-1900s, it was used in conjunction with an anesthetic to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or ...

) changed the concept of general anesthesia as it could produce temporary paralysis (a desired feature for surgery) without deep anesthesia. Most of the signs of Guedel's classification depend upon the muscular movements (including respiratory muscles), and paralyzed patients' traditional clinical signs were no longer detectable when such drugs were used. Since 1982, ether is not used in the United States. Now, because of the use of

intravenous Intravenous therapy (abbreviated as IV therapy) is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein. The intravenous route of administration is commonly used for rehydration or to provide nutrie ...

induction agents with

muscle relaxants A muscle relaxant is a drug that affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major thera ...

and the discontinuation of ether, elements of Guedel's classification have been superseded by depth of anaesthesia monitoring devices such as the

BIS monitor Bispectral index (BIS) is one of several technologies used to monitor depth of anesthesia. BIS monitors are used to supplement Guedel's classification system for determining depth of anesthesia. Titrating anesthetic agents to a specific bispectr ...

; however, the use of BIS monitoring remains controversial.

Stages of Anesthesia

Stage I (stage of analgesia or disorientation): from beginning of induction of general anesthesia to loss of consciousness. Stage II (stage of excitement or delirium): from loss of consciousness to onset of automatic breathing. Eyelash reflex disappear but other reflexes remain intact and coughing, vomiting and struggling may occur; respiration can be irregular with breath-holding. Stage III (stage of surgical anesthesia): from onset of automatic respiration to respiratory paralysis. It is divided into four planes: * ''Plane I'' - from onset of automatic respiration to cessation of eyeball movements. Eyelid reflex is lost, swallowing reflex disappears, marked eyeball movement may occur but conjunctival reflex is lost at the bottom of the plane * ''Plane II'' - from cessation of eyeball movements to beginning of paralysis of intercostal muscles. Laryngeal reflex is lost although inflammation of the upper respiratory tract increases reflex irritability, corneal reflex disappears, secretion of tears increases (a useful sign of light anesthesia), respiration is automatic and regular, movement and deep breathing as a response to skin stimulation disappears. * ''Plane III'' - from beginning to completion of intercostal muscle paralysis. Diaphragmatic respiration persists but there is progressive intercostal paralysis, pupils dilated and light reflex is abolished. The laryngeal reflex lost in plane II can still be initiated by painful stimuli arising from the dilatation of anus or cervix. This was the desired plane for surgery when

muscle relaxant A muscle relaxant is a drug that affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major therap ...

s were not used. * ''Plane IV'' - from complete intercostal paralysis to diaphragmatic paralysis (

apnea Apnea, BrE: apnoea, is the temporal cessation of breathing. During apnea, there is no movement of the muscles of inhalation, and the volume of the lungs initially remains unchanged. Depending on how blocked the airways are ( patency), there ma ...

). Stage IV: from stoppage of respiration till death. Anesthetic overdose-caused medullary paralysis with respiratory arrest and vasomotor collapse. Pupils are widely dilated and muscles are relaxed. In 1954, Joseph F. Artusio further divided the first stage in Guedel's classification into three planes.Artusio JF. Di-ethyl ether analgesia: a detailed description of the first stage of ether analgesia in man. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1954, 111, 343-334 * 1st plane The patient does not experience

amnesia Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R., & Mangun, G. (2009) Cognitive Neuroscience: The biology of the mind. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. but it can also be caused temporarily by the use ...

analgesia Pain management is an aspect of medicine and health care involving relief of pain (pain relief, analgesia, pain control) in various dimensions, from acute and simple to chronic and challenging. Most physicians and other health professional ...

* 2nd plane The patient is completely amnesic but experiences only partial analgesia * 3rd plane The patient has complete analgesia and amnesia

References

{{Medicine Anesthesia Medical scales

History

Stages of Anesthesia

See also

References