Count to 10 - Anaesthetic Primary Podcast

Today I'm doing a 'Live Practice Viva'. Thanks to Celia for doing this!! I hope you get some technical and non-technical skills from the video. The two topics were: Immune System and Neurophysiology. Topic 1 starts (02:32) with 1 minute thinking time and Topic 2 starts (07:33). We then go through some feedback. Thanks for watching! As always if you have any feedback let me know at anirudh@sweetdre...

Today I cover the topic 'Applied Cardiac Physiology." This is the biggest topic so far in our cardiology series and I had to divide it into 2 parts. Today I look at the LO's starting first with the CVS effects of pneumoperitoneum (01:19) and the effects that occur with changes in patient position (06:13). Then I discuss the cardiovascular responses to exercise (12:45), Valsalva (16:58) and positiv...

Today I cover the topic 'Regional Circulation." This has one very big learning objective that looks at the factors that govern blood pressure. To understand this, we have to first understand how the systemic circulation works (02:29) and second the physics which control blood flow (08:42), together this helps us to understand the factors that make blood pressure (18:07). I then take a deeper look...

Today I cover a huge topic 'Control of Cardiac Output & Pressure." This used to be one big learning objective with 4 subsections that I will go through today. Frist I define and describe the classic terms of preload, afterload and contractility (01:19). Then I delve into the frank starling mechanism (12:34). Followed by a long look at the Guyton Curves (16:02) and the LV Pressure-Volume Loop (28:3...

Today I cover the 'Myocardial Oxygen Supply and Demand.' This topic has 2 main learning objectives, first I cover the anatomy of the heart including the coronary vessels (0:55) and then take a more in depth look at the factors that affect supply and demand (12:54). As always, I end with reviewing the past SAQs, today I have some from the ANZCA and the CICM exams (27:10). Next episode I will go thr...

Today I'm back with the first topic for Cardiac Physiology – 'Electrophysiology.' This is a huge first topic despite only covering two learning objects. I start by covering the ionic basis of automaticity (01:22) then look at the normal and abnormal process of cardiac excitation (04:02). I briefly then cover the basis of an ECG (12:58), the factors that affect cardiac electrical activity along wit...

I'm back for season 3, in this season I'm going to cover cardiac physiology with the aim to finish this topic before the next primary written sitting. I also have a few announcements including a viva boot camp. If you are interested send me a email: anirudh@sweetdreamsanaesthesia.com   Thank as always for listening!

Happy New Year listeners! Today's "MiniPod" is sadly my last for a few months as I take a break to sit my part 2 exam. I have put a lot in this pod and it's not really that "mini." I first start by discussing the foetal circulation and the shunts that help this circulation with the transition from foetal to neonatal circulation (01:30). Then I look at the differences in the anatomy of neonatal air...

Today's "MiniPod" reviewed the physiological changes that occur in pregnancy with a focus on the cardiorespiratory systems. I initially give a brief overview of the factors that cause these changes (00:40) followed by first looking at the cardiovascular system changes (02:40) and then the respiratory system (09:42). With these topics it's key to have a structure, describing pregnancy by trimesters...

Today I'm back with another practice Viva. Thanks to Abe for doing this!! I hope you get some technical and non-technical skills from the video. The two topics were: General Anaesthesia/Sleep and Blood glucose/Insulin. Topic 1 starts (01:55) with 1 minute thinking time and Topic 2 starts (07:50). We then go through some feedback. Thanks for watching! As always if you have any feedback let me know...

Today I'm back with another practice Viva. Thanks to Ben for doing this!! I hope you get some technical and non-technical skills from the video. The two topics were: Oxygen supply to the Anaesthetic Machine and Oxytocin. Topic 1 starts (02:00) with 1 minute thinking time and Topic 2 starts (08:00). We then go through some feedback. Thanks for watching! As always if you have any feedback let me kno...

My first ever reaction pod! The 2023.2 primary exam was unexpected in many ways and I think is the biggest hint so far that the primary exam is changing! I share my big takeaways and don't worry because I have some tips on how you can succeed with future sittings. I quickly recap the 15 saqs (01:26) and the discuss my first takeaway (05:21) which is that saqs are now more about understanding and c...

Today's "MiniPod" discussion went a bit longer than expected and I covered the Neuromuscular Junction and Suxamethonium. I broke the NMJ physiology into three sections, firstly looking at acetylcholine itself, then the pathway of the action potential across the NMJ and lastly the types of ACH receptors (01:19). Then for the first time on this pod we discuss the pharmacology of a drug, looking at t...

I'm back today with another "MiniPod" where we discuss the principles of Pulse Oximetry and sources of error.  This is a core clinical measurement topic and an examiner favourite with a low SAQ pass rate. I first start off with the basic principles of how the device works (00:40) and then talk about the common sources of error (08:19). Then I look at the past SAQ's, lucky there is only two options...

Today is the first "MiniPod" where we discuss the ionic basis of automaticity the normal and abnormal processes of cardiac excitation.  In other words the Slow response Action Potential vs Fast response Action Potential. I have divided these episodes into three sections: facts and knowledge, past SAQs and reviewing viva opening stems. I start with a basic review of pacemaker cells in the heart (01...

We are back with the official launch of Season 2!! This is an amazing episode where I am joined by 3 candidates that have just passed the Primary Exam in 2023.1. Nathan, San-Rene and Elliot are so open and honest about the real struggles of sitting the Primary Exam and share their journey from the contemplative phase and study planning to the written exam and then finally the viva's. We explore so...

Another Practice VIVA we recorded during the 2022.2 sitting. Sound quality isn't the best because I was new to recording back then. Thanks to Peter for doing this practice viva!! I hope you get some technical and non-technical skills from the video. The two topics were: Propofol bolus and Heparins. Topic 1 starts (00:59) with 1 minute thinking time and Topic 2 starts (07:00). We then go through so...

We recorded this viva during the 2022.2 sitting. It has been uploaded on the website and Youtube and I am re-sharing it as it gets close to the 2023 viva. Sound quality isn't the best because I was new to recording back then. Thanks to Justin for doing this practice viva!! I hope you get some technical and non-technical skills from the video. The two topics were: Anaphylaxis and Pulse Oximeter. To...

Today we come to the end of the Respiratory Physiology Topic and finish with 'Respiratory Measurement.' This is a nice way to finish a huge section of the curriculum and there are only two LO's to cover. First I look at respiratory acidosis (02:56) and then I look at various methods to measure to respiratory function (i.e Flow-Volume Loops) (09:29). As always, we finish by going over the past SAQ'...

Today we have a special podcast with 'Written Exam Tips.' I have broken up my experience of sitting the primary exam into 4 sections heading into the last 2 weeks before the written exam. Firstly, I explain how to plan and set a study schedule for the last two weeks (01:35). Then I explain what I did the night before the exam and how to get yourself ready for the big day (10:16). Then we look at w...

Today we look at 'Applied Respiratory Physiology!' This is another big topic and it's the culmination of all our other episodes. We start by discussing the fundamental basis for preoxygenation which is a must know LO (01:09). Then we assess how anaesthesia and different patient positions effect the respiratory system (07:18). I then go over what the effects of IPPV are and how PEEP is used to miti...

Today we look at 'Pulmonary Circulation!' Lucky for us this is not a big topic and it's kind of a breather before our next episode. We start by discussion the anatomy of the pulmonary and bronchial circulation (00:52) and outline the differences between the pulmonary and systemic circulation (04:34). The most important LO in this topic is factors that affect pulmonary vascular resistance, and this...

Today's topic is a big one! I start of by assessing the vertical gradient of pleural pressure (01:25). Then discuss a favourite topic closing capacity and its significance (05:53). I then explain the different types of dead space and how this links in West's Zones of the lung (14:24). Then I look at the opposite spectrum and discuss shunt and all things that are venous admixture (27:04). Putting t...

We start the New Year with discussing 'Gas Transport in Blood'. There are 4 learning objectives and this is a MUST KNOW TOPIC. I first look at the oxygen cascade (01:38) and then examine oxygen carriage in blood and the all-important oxygen dissociation curve (08:32). Then I discuss CO2 carriage and compare the CO2 dissociation curve with the ODC (22:27). Then I describe the Oxygen Flux equation (...

Today I take a look at 'Functional Anatomy'. There are 6 learning objectives and this is a jam packed podcast. I first look at upper airway anatomy with a big focus on the larynx (01:11) and then look at lower airway anatomy and breakdown 'Weibels Zones' and alveoli structure (16:47). Then I discuss important respiratory reflexes and how anaesthetics agents can affect these reflexes using the refl...