Which method is commonly used to monitor blood pressure non-invasively during anesthesia?

Continuous non-invasive blood pressure monitoring is widely used during anesthesia because it allows for real-time assessment of a patient's blood pressure without the need for invasive procedures. This method typically uses an oscillometric technique, where a cuff is placed around the patient’s arm and inflated to occlude the artery. As the cuff slowly deflates, the monitor detects the vibrations of the arterial wall and calculates the systolic and diastolic pressures based on these oscillations.

This approach is advantageous in the anesthesia context as it provides ongoing, continuous data to the anesthesiologist about the patient's hemodynamic status. This ability to continuously monitor blood pressure is critical during surgery, allowing for immediate adjustments to anesthetic depth or fluid management if a patient’s blood pressure changes. Additionally, non-invasive monitoring minimizes the risk of complications associated with invasive techniques, making it a preferred choice for many practices.

Other methods, such as manual blood pressure measurement, do not allow for continuous monitoring and require more frequent checks which can be impractical during surgeries. Invasive arterial line monitoring is accurate but carries higher risks, including bleeding and infection. Pulse oximetry, while crucial for monitoring oxygen saturation, does not provide blood pressure readings. Thus, continuous non-invasive blood pressure monitoring stands out