Basics of Anesthesia was first published in 1984 with the editorial leadership of Robert K. Stoelting and Ronald D. Miller. Their goal was to provide a concise source of information for the entire community of anesthesia learners, including students, residents, fellows, and other trainees. This eighth edition—the first without Dr. Miller as an editor—continues the pursuit of that goal while acknowledging how the specialty has evolved. The total number of chapters (49) is two fewer than the prior edition. Separate chapters on topics such as congenital heart disease and awareness were removed, but these subjects are now covered in other chapters. New chapters focus on clinician well-being, point-of-care ultrasound, perioperative medicine, and the environmental impact of
anesthetics. The title “basics” belies the fact that chapters have more references than prior editions, consistent with he growth in knowledge and scholarly publications in the field.
