Journal of clinical monitoring
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Infrared analysis can determine exhaled concentrations of the three volatile anesthetics in common use because each absorbs infrared light. Many infrared analyzers use a single source of infrared light at a wavelength of 3.3 microns for measurements of all three agents but cannot identify which agent is in use. Organic gases such as ethanol also absorb infrared light. ⋯ Conversely, with the monitor set for isoflurane, 1 vol% halothane mixed with isoflurane resulted in readings 0.2 vol% too high. In a model simulating alveolar gas, ethanol vapor corresponding to blood alcohol levels of 0.10, 0.30, and 0.50% had a slight but not clinically significant effect on readings for enflurane and isoflurane but increased readings with the halothane setting 3.5 times the corresponding level of blood alcohol. Clinicians can test for an interfering gas such as ethanol before induction by checking the reading in the halothane setting during preoxygenation.
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Numerous medical applications of closed-loop control have been developed over the past 40 years. For the patient breathing system, appropriate sensors are available. ⋯ With the sensors, controllers, and delivery devices developed and tested, it seems likely that closed-loop control will be an integral part of future anesthesia workstations. The convenience and improved stability and response time will be important advantages in future anesthesia delivery systems.
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Anesthesia ventilators with bellows that rise on expiration (standing bellows) are favored over ventilators with bellows that descend during expiration (hanging bellows). Standing bellows will not rise if there is a disconnection, and thus they facilitate detection of disconnections. ⋯ Thus, spirometers that measure tidal volume (VT) in the expiratory limb of the breathing system may falsely indicate an expiratory VT after a disconnection of the breathing system at the Y-piece or the endotracheal tube. Existing low-pressure alarms and capnography alarms provide redundant warning of disconnection, however, should the ventilator continue to deliver small VTs after a disconnection.
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A retrospective evaluation of simultaneous tests of oximeters of various manufacturers in volunteer subjects disclosed greater errors at low saturations in subjects with low hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations. Forty-three pulse oximeters of 12 manufacturers studied over a period of 10 months showed that, at a mean arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) level of 54.5%, as Hb concentration fell, average pulse oximeter (SpO2) bias increased approximately linearly from 0 at Hb greater than 14 g/dl to about -14% at 8 less than Hb less than 9 g/dl. At SaO2 = 53.6%, the mean bias (SaO2--SpO2) of 13 oximeters of 5 manufacturers averaged -15.0% (n = 43) in a subject with Hb = 8 g/dl, but -6.4% (n = 390) in nonanemic subjects. ⋯ It was 0.13% at SaO2 = 98.5% (n = 13), -1.31% at 87.5% (n = 38), -2.71% at 75.1% (n = 38), -5.18% at 61.3% (n = 26), and -9.95% at 53.6% (n = 41); n is the product of the number of oximeters and number of tests in each saturation range. The instruments that showed the greatest errors at low saturations in nonanemic subjects also showed the greatest additional errors associated with anemia (the range between manufacturers of anemic incremental error at about 53% being from -3.2 to -14.5%) and conformed well to the relationship bias (anemic) = 1.35 x bias (normal) -8.18% (r = 0.94; Sy.x = 3.3%). The error due to anemia was zero at 97% SaO2 and became evident when SaO2 fell below 75%.