Desflurane Desflurane

Desflurane - Definition and Overview

Structural formula of desflurane

Desflurane is a halogenated ether used for maintenance of general anaesthesia. Together with sevoflurane it is gradually replacing isoflurane. It has the most rapid onset and offset of the volatile anaesthetic drugs used for general anaesthesia due to its low solubility in blood.

Its major drawbacks are its low potency and its pungency.

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

Physical properties

Boiling point : 22.8 °C (at 1 atm)
Density : 1.465 g/cm³ (at 20 °C)
Molecular Weight : 168
Vapor pressure: 93 kPa 700 mmHg (at 20 °C)
107 kPa 804 mmHg (at 24 °C)
Blood-Gas partition coefficient : 0.45 (at 37 °C)

Book Reference

Eger, Eisenkraft, Weiskopf The Pharmacology of Inhaled Anesthetics 2003

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