What does 'gas' stand for?

[mercaptovizadeh]

Is that anesthesiology or gastroenterology?

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[DrBowtie]

Gas is usually Anes.
GI is usually Gastro.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

Gas is usually Anes.
GI is usually Gastro.

Thanks!

 

[want2beadoc1]

Why does gas = anesthesiology?

 

[DrYoda]

Why does gas = anesthesiology?

General AneSthesia.

 

[nick_carraway]

General AneSthesia.

Or because they give you gas (sometimes).

 

[dw2158]

Or because they give you gas (sometimes).

haha, that's exactly what i thought of.

 

[Ashers]

Short for [professional] "gas passer."

 

[Evergrey]

Why does gas = anesthesiology?

No clue, but I always thought it was because anaesthesia is often administered by lungs. In fact, wasn't the first anaesthetic ether?

 

[Ashers]

No clue, but I always thought it was because anaesthesia is often administered by lungs. In fact, wasn't the first anaesthetic ether?

I think one of the first anesthetics would've been brandy or some other EtOH.

 

[bodonid]

No clue, but I always thought it was because anaesthesia is often administered by lungs. In fact, wasn't the first anaesthetic ether?

as someone else pointed out, Gas is an abbreviation. Got it now?

 

[want2beadoc1]

General AneSthesia.

Would've never guessed. Thanks

 

[Quadratic]

One would think it concerns farting...

 

[student1799]

as someone else pointed out, Gas is an abbreviation. Got it now?

I think it's highly likely that "gas"as an abbreviation for General Anaesthesia Service--or something similar--is a backronym (an acronym fitted to the word after the fact). These are incredibly common in medicine, as well as everyday speech.

As someone else already said, this term probably arose from the fact that many anaesthetics are given by inhalation.

 

[scrambizle]

saying it does not, in fact, make you sound cool.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Although an anesthesiologist would be the definitive source, I think it highly UNLIKELY that the use of the term Gas to refer to Anesthesiology is an acronym.

For one, it is not capitalized, ie GAS.

Two, most hospitals do not have Anesthesia "services" (ie, the S in GAS). There is a department, which would make the acronym GAD or AD, since much of anesthesia is not "general" but local or regional.

Three, anesthetic gases have a long history. Ether, the first one used, was the harbinger of the modern era of surgery and anesthesia. Now more commonly used gases are sevoflurane, isoflurane, etc.

Anesthesiologists give several drugs when adminstering anesthesia: an anxiolytic (often given in pre-op; has some nice amnestic properties) inhaled gases may be given to induce anesthesia (often used in children or needle phobic adults so the IV can be placed after they are asleep) and to intubate, and then the general anesthesia which may be a combination of gases, oxygen, muscle relaxants and narcotics. The combination of drugs used may depend on what operation is being done and the patient's needs.

 

[MsKrispyKreme]

G.irls
A.re
S.uperior

 

[Ashers]

G.irls
A.re
S.uperior

That sounds like a club name that Susie would make to go against Calvin and Hobbes' G.R.O.S.S.