Neville Robinson was appointed a consultant anaesthetist in 1987. He has co-authored/edited some eleven books primarily aimed at teaching, six book chapters, and some thirty papers, including those related to metabolic stress, patient satisfaction, sepsis in obstetrics, and more recently, a new airway, the Tulip. He was the recipient of the Evelyn Baker Award (AAGBI) in 2008. He is a Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCA) assessor and is on the national MMBRACE committee. He is a past RCA College tutor and teaches on several courses aimed at passing the RCA examinations.

List of figures; List of tables; List of boxes; Preface to the fifth edition; Preface to the fourth edition; Preface to the third edition; Preface to the second edition; Preface to the first edition; Let's start at the very beginning ...; Part I. Nuts and Bolts: 1. Evaluation of the airway; 2. Control of the airway; 3. Tracheal intubation; 4. Failed intubation drill; 5. Vascular access; 6. Intravenous fluids; 7. The anaesthetic machine; 8. Anaesthetic breathing systems; 9. Ventilators and other equipment; 10. Monitoring in anaesthesia; Part II. Crises and Complications: 11. Cardiac arrest; 12. Haemorrhage and blood transfusion; 13. Anaphylactic reactions; 14. Malignant hyperthermia; 15. Local anaesthetic toxicity; 16. Stridor - upper airway obstruction; 17. Pneumothorax; 18. Common intraoperative problems; 19. Postoperative problems; 20. Anaesthetic mishaps; Part III. Passing the Gas: 21. Preoperative evaluation; 22. Principles of emergency anaesthesia; 23. Anaesthesia for laparoscopic surgery; 24. Anaesthesia for abdominal surgery; 25. Anaesthesia for gynaecological surgery; 26. Anaesthesia for urological surgery; 27. Anaesthesia for dental and ENT surgery; 28. Anaesthesia for orthopaedic surgery; 29. Anaesthesia for day case surgery; 30. Epidural and spinal anaesthesia; 31. Common regional blocks; 32. Obstetric anaesthesia; 33. Anaesthesia in the corridor; Part IV. Walking the Walk (Talking the Talk): 34. Management of the patient in the recovery area; 35. Postoperative analgesia; 36. Recognition and management of the sick patient; 37. Intensive care (critical care), section 1; 38. Intensive care (critical care), section 2; 39. Peri-operative medicine; 40. Management of head injuries; Part V. And Finally ...: 41. Anaesthetic aphorisms; Index.