Health Sciences · Hospital for Sick Children
An aluminum bottle with a blue and white label and a translucent white plastic cap. Removing the threaded cap exposes a plastic collar adapted to the filling port of a modern anesthetic vaporizer.
Accession Number: 2025.sk.23
Alternative Name: Desflurane
Primary Materials: Aluminum, Plastic
The following information is printed on the upper portion of the label: “CA2L9102ALU// DIN 02227428”
The following is printed vertically on one side of the label:
Barcode: “(01)00085412490930”; “Lot HO35C617A// EXP 02 2019”
Printed on the bottom corner of the opposite side of the label: “07-09-71-047”
Dimensions (cm): Height = 18.5, Max Diam. = 6.
Desflurane is a volatile general anesthetic introduced in the 1990s. It is generally used to maintain, rather than induce, anesthesia. It is marketed for its relatively low blood solubility resulting in a more rapid recovery than other volatile anesthetics. This is an advantage, for instance, in ambulatory surgery. It requires a specialized vapourizer with an integrated heater as it is liquid at room temperature.
This example is packaged in an aluminum bottle designed to reduce the risk of anesthetic leaks and exposure.
Like several other halogenated inhaled anesthetic gases, desflurane is subject to concern about its environmental impact as a greenhouse gas. Desflurane is a particularly potent greenhouse gas. For this reason, it has been banned in Scotland, and by certain medical institutions, including Canadian hospitals. (See Pitargue 2022)
The artifact is in good cosmetic condition. There is a small dent at one pint in the perimeter where the container begins to taper. There is a small amount of liquid remaining in the container.
Associated Instruments:
Baxter Corporation, Mississauga, Ontario
Date of Manufacture: c. 2010s
Provenance:
Ali Pitargue. “Major B.C. trauma hospital switches anesthetic gas to reduce carbon footprint.” CBC News. Website. Jun 02, 2022. (Archived June 30, 2025)
Historical Notes: