Desflurane (1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether) is a highly fluorinated methyl ethyl ether used for maintenance of general anaesthesia. Together with sevoflurane, it is gradually replacing isoflurane for human use, except in the third world where its high cost precludes its use. It has the most rapid onset and offset of the volatile anaesthetic drugs used for general anaesthesia due to its low solubility in blood.

The major drawbacks of desflurane are its low potency, its pungency and its high cost. It may cause tachycardia secondary to airway irritability when administered at rapidly increased concentrations greater than 1 MAC.

Though it vaporises very readily, it is a liquid at room temperature. Anaesthetic machines use an unusual anaesthetic vaporiser that heats it to generate a gas.

Physical properties

Book reference

Eger, Eisenkraft, Weiskopf. The Pharmacology of Inhaled Anesthetics. 2003.

External links

Anesthetics | Ethers | Organofluorides