Non-operating room anaesthesia: general considerations

Non-operating room anaesthesia (NORA) refers to the administration of anaesthesia outside of the traditional operating room environment. This may include procedures performed in the radiology department, interventional cardiology suites, or endoscopy units. With the increasing demand for minimally invasive procedures, the requirement to provide anaesthesia outside the theatre environment is becoming more common. Non-operating room anaesthesia provides a unique set of challenges including airway management, monitoring, procedural access, patient positioning, temperature management, delivery of anaesthesia and management of complications. This review will consider these aspects and provide a guide to the safe implementation of non-operating room anaesthesia.