This volume comprises the edited presentations of the 40th Annual Postgraduate Course in Anaesthesiology, February 1995. It reflects recent advances in this area. Obstetrical and paediatric patients constitute important and often challenging cases for the practicing anesthesiologist. This textbook is the 13th in a continuing series documenting the proceedings of the Postgraduate Course of the Department of Anesthesiology of the University of Utah School of Medicine.