Pharmacokinetics of inhalation anesthetics: a three-compartment linear model.

The evolution of mathematical models of the uptake of the inhaled anesthetic agents has produced increasingly complex models in which researchers have attempted to incorporate more and more data on the effects of anesthetics on the processes of respiration, circulation, and metabolism. One result of this evolution has been to limit the application of these models due to the large amount of data required by the model and the need for a large digital computer to generate a solution. The purpose of this study is to show that a three-compartment linear model, using only the solubility of an anesthetic in water and oil, may br used to predict the uptake of a volatile anesthetic with sufficient accuracy for practical purposes. Only a programmable hand calculator is needed for the solution. Due to the simplicity of this model, compared with previously described models, it should prove useful in understanding the kinetics of gas uptake by the body.