enflurane: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical (Medical)
Quick answer
What does “enflurane” mean?
A volatile, nonflammable liquid anesthetic, administered by inhalation.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A volatile, nonflammable liquid anesthetic, administered by inhalation.
A halogenated ether compound (2-chloro-1,1,2-trifluoroethyl difluoromethyl ether) historically used for general anesthesia, though largely superseded by newer agents due to side effect profiles.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; spelling and usage are identical.
Connotations
Purely technical. In modern contexts, may connote historical/obsolete practice or be used in comparative drug studies.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Used exclusively within medical, pharmacological, and historical medical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “enflurane” in a Sentence
The anaesthetist administered enflurane.Enflurane was used for maintenance.The patient was induced with enflurane.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “enflurane” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
N/A
Academic
Used in medical textbooks, historical reviews of anesthesiology, and pharmacological research papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
The primary domain. Used by anesthesiologists, pharmacologists, and medical historians to refer to a specific drug.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “enflurane”
- Misspelling as 'enflourane' or 'enflurine'. Using it as a general verb (e.g., 'to enflurane a patient' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is rarely used in modern clinical practice in most developed countries, having been largely superseded by newer agents like sevoflurane and desflurane which have more favourable safety profiles.
Historical use noted risks including dose-dependent depression of cardiovascular and respiratory function, potential for triggering seizures, and rare cases of hepatotoxicity.
It was administered via a calibrated vaporizer on an anesthesia machine, mixed with oxygen or nitrous oxide, and delivered to the patient through a breathing circuit.
It was used for all age groups historically, but its use in pediatrics declined with the availability of agents with fewer side effects and more rapid induction/recovery times.
A volatile, nonflammable liquid anesthetic, administered by inhalation.
Enflurane is usually technical (medical) in register.
Enflurane: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɛnflʊreɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɛnfləˌreɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “N/A”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
ENFLURANE: ETHER for the FLOOR of the brain? (A mnemonic linking it to its class 'ether' and its action of depressing central nervous system activity).
Conceptual Metaphor
A chemical key that unlocks unconsciousness.
Practice
Quiz
Enflurane is primarily classified as: