Breathing Circuits

A breathing circuit is an essential medical tubing assembly that connects an anaesthesia machine or mechanical ventilator to a patient's airway, ensuring a continuous supply of oxygen and anaesthetic gases while actively removing exhaled carbon dioxide. They are generally classified into two main types: non-rebreathing systems, which vent all exhaled gases out of the system after every single breath, and rebreathing systems, such as the standard circle system, which scrub carbon dioxide from the exhaled air and recycle the remaining breathable gases. This recycling makes rebreathing circuits particularly economical and widely favoured in modern operating theatres, while non-rebreathing circuits are typically reserved for specialized or short-duration procedures.