Korean J Anesthesiol.  2011 Feb;60(2):75-77. 10.4097/kjae.2011.60.2.75.

The effect of low fresh gas flow rate on sevoflurane consumption

• Ryu HG
• Lee JH
• Lee KK
• Gil NS
• Kim CS
• Sim SE
• Lee SC
• Min SW

• KMID: 1766523
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2011.60.2.75

Abstract

BACKGROUND
In an era of medical cost containment, cost-effectiveness has become a major focus in healthcare. The effect of a new policy on the use of low fresh gas flow during maintenance of general anesthesia with volatile anesthetics was evaluated.
METHODS
The numbers and duration of general anesthesia cases using sevoflurane 5 weeks prior to and 15 weeks after policy implementation were retrieved from the electronic medical records database. The number of sevoflurane bottles consumed was also assessed. The anesthesia hours per bottle of sevoflurane were compared before and after policy implementation.
RESULTS
The number of anesthesia hours performed per bottle of sevoflurane increased by 38.3%. The effect varied over time and tended to fade with time.
CONCLUSIONS
The implementation of a low fresh gas flow rate policy effectively reduces the amount of sevoflurane consumed for the same duration of anesthesia.

Keyword

Anesthetic consumption; Cost-effectiveness; Low-flow anesthesia; Volatile anesthetics

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General
Anesthetics
Cost Control
Delivery of Health Care
Electronic Health Records
Methyl Ethers
Anesthetics
Methyl Ethers