Running head: MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLE ANESTHESIA DELIVERY 1

Potential Ways to Further Reduce Mortality Rates Related to Anesthesia

Yuhan Long

University of Kentucky
MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLE ASSISTED ANESTHESIA 2

Abstract

Anesthesia is a relatively safe procedure, but there are still deaths due to the administration of

anesthesia. The most common way of death due to it is overdosing. If we are able to better

control the ways that anesthesia is delivered into the body, we can save lives and make deaths

due to anesthesia approach zero. All of these methods found need more research, but by far the

most likely to be useful is magnetic nanoparticles. Magnetic nanoparticles can be directed to

bring anesthesia to targeted nerves through the use of a magnet. These nanoparticles are able to

lessen the spread of anesthesia, which could reduce overdoses. Another way is to use nanorobots.

This theoretical technology can potentially control the release of anesthesia into the body very

carefully. Both of these methods can potentially save lives. If lives are saved, there will be less

grief due to death and more people willingly to spend money on anesthesia during surgery.

Therefore, if more research is done on this topic, the more likely magnetic nanoparticles will

save lives and earn money.

Keywords: Anesthesia, Magnetic Nanoparticles, Nanorobots

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Magnetic Nanoparticle Assisted Anesthesia Delivery

Anesthesia is used in nearly every surgery. It is important for the risk of death related to

anesthesia to be as close to zero as possible. Though death rates related to anesthesia has dropped

drastically since the 1900s, people are still dying due anesthesia. Magnetic nanoparticles

(MNPs) can be used to help guide anesthesia around the body to lessen the spread of anesthesia

to parts of the body where it would cause harm. If research advanced in MNP anesthesia

delivery, it could help anesthesia be even less dangerous.

Anesthesia Mortality
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Over the past century, anesthesia related deaths has dropped. The death risk has declined

from about 1 death in 1000 anesthesia procedures in the 1940s to 1 in 100,000 in the 1990s

and early 2000s (Li, Warner, Lang, Huang, & Sun, 2009, Introduction, para. 1). Even though

the amount of deaths is so low, having a total of zero deaths due to anesthesia is a goal yet to be

achieved. In the Li et al. study, of the 2,211 recorded anesthesia-related deaths in the United

States during 1999-2005, 46.6% were attributable to overdose of anesthetics (Li et al., 2009,

Figure 1. Chart of nanoparticle distribution after administration. Retrieved from http://ieeexplore.ieee

Results, para. 1). These deaths could potentially be reduced if the anesthesia is more carefully

delivered.
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Figure 2. Infographic about nanoparticles and anesthesia. Created using Piktochart.

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Usually, overdose occurs when there is too much of a drug in the body and start affecting

areas the drug shouldnt effect. According to the figure to the right retrieved from Gutierrez et

al., only 41% of anesthesia ends up in the liver to be disposed of. Since overdosing is due to the

drugs affecting body areas it is not supposed to, better control of where anesthesia goes would

reduce the number of overdosing deaths that happen.

Nanoparticles and Nanorobots

In order to reduce deaths, MNPs could be used in order to directly target nerves better. I

recommend more research into this area as it has shown to potentially be a safe delivery method.

Nanorobots, theoretically, can be another possible research are to help target nerves. If

nanorobots are found to be able, they may be even better than MNPs due to there being more

control over programming of the nanorobots.

MNPs manipulated by magnets have been tested in rats to achieve a nerve block. In the

peer reviewed study of Mantha et al., they have established proof of principle that it is possible

to produce ankle block in the rat by IV injection of MNP/Ropiv complexes and magnet

application at the ankle (2014). This shows that MNPs can be directed inside the body toward a

nerve to achieve a block with a magnet. With more research as recommended, we should be able

to find how to improve MNPs to be a safe way to administer anesthesia on humans.

The theoretical nanorobots have potential on being a great drug delivery method.

Senthilnathan et al. note, in a peer reviewed study, that nanorobots are designed to release the

drug continuously at a particular site (2016, Abstract, para. 1). This shows that it may be

possible to place a nanorobot into the body and have it continuously release anesthesia as

needed. This release can then be stopped when needed to reduce excess drug release, reducing

overdosing numbers.
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In Brazil, according to Braz et al. from the Department of Anesthesiology of the Botucatu

Medical School, most cases of anesthesia-related mortality are associated with cardiocirculatory

and airway events (2009, Abstract, para. 1). This can potentially be used to claim that

nanoparticles will not be useful because they dont manage cardiocirculatory and airway issues.

MNPs can control where drug particles go, limiting the needed of syringes to approach

dangerous areas such as the heart or lungs. If MNPs are more researched, they could be used to

make sure the anesthesia does not go to the lungs or heart after the procedure is over.

People may wonder why to spend money on researching anesthesia delivery when there

is no space for rationalizing the costs of anesthetics and other drugs in anesthesia (Majstorovi

et al., 2012). Money spent on research for nanoparticles will earn money in the long term, not

short term. If there are less deaths, less people will worry about anesthesia doing harm, which

would result in more people using anesthesia. That would result in more money earned. This

study only talks about reducing material costs. There are still ways for anesthesia to have minor

price reductions such as anesthesiologists Bucx et al. recommending the use of price stickers to

other anaesthesists interested in cutting the cost of anaesthesia delivery (2014).

Anesthesia and Nanorobots

Overall, we should place more research into the topic of using magnetic nanoparticles

and nanorobots in anesthesia delivery. By controlling the anesthesia better once it is inside the

body, we will be able to further limit overdoses and toxic effects of anesthesia going to the

wrong places. This will likely save lives, boosting the willingness of people to use anesthesia,

therefore increasing money earned.

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