SARACAP Monitoring of Anesthesia Machines during Anesthesia

Lee, Choon Soo; Lee, Young Joo; Cho, Chung Hyun

Abstract

With recent rise in medico-legal problems, there is also an increase in number of problems involved with anesthesia. Major causes of anesthetic accident are malfunctioning anesthetic machine and inappropriate gas flow and concentration of anesthetic gas, resulting from malfunctioning ventilatory circuit. Therefore, anesthesiologist needs an apparatus to determine the appropriateness of ventilation and a monitoring system to measure a concentration of inspired O2 and inhalation anesthetics. To prevent circulatory and respiratory abnormalities and to promote the safty during anesthesia, we used the SARA monitoring system, as an indicator of safty measure. We monitored the anesthesia machines (n=17), using in operating room in Shinchon Severance hospital, by using the SARA monitoring system which was connected to the distal portion of endotracheal tube. We intended to analysis the relationships between anesthetic machines, vaporizers, ventilators and parameters measured form each machine, in clinical use. The results were as follows; 1) Average used year of anesthesia machines was 7.7 years, that of vaporizers was 7.6 years and that of ventilator's was 4.0 years. 2) When vaporizers dial was fixed at enflurane 2.0%, average measured-FiEnf was 2.02+/-0.22%, equal to dial setting and average FiEnf was 1.70+/-0.25%, usually lower than dial setting. 3) In some anesthesia machines, CO2 rebreathing occured always during ansthesia and FiEnf & FeEnf were decreased in case of CO2 rebreathing. 4) FiEnf by vaporizers was decreased as following orders, Draeger, Ohio and Cyprene.