Field Trial of the Glostavent Anaesthetic Machine: DfID Project No. 1888; DfID/WFSA Partnership Scheme

We report a field trial of an aesthesia machine which can function in remote unequipped areas to the satisfaction of operator and safety of the patient. The Glostavent was first introduced in 1996 as a versatile anaesthetic machine, capable of functioning in the difficult environments encountered by anaesthetists working in the developing world. These difficulties include sudden interruption in the supplies of electricity or oxygen and poor facilities for the servicing and maintenance of anaesthetic equipment, conditions render the use of more sophisticated machines impractical.