Anesthesia Monitoring Options February 18th, 2008

    An anesthesia monitor is a vital piece of medical equipment found in operation rooms, outpatient clinics and anywhere a patient may be put under anesthesia. While under anesthesia both from a pre-operative assessment to post-operative information analysis, multiple parameters must monitor all physiological functions. Parameters on anesthesia monitors will cover the following parameters.

    On the most basic machines you will find heart rate, measured via a 3 lead ECG and NIBP, or non invasive blood pressure, monitors blood pressure by use of a cuff and hose and is placed on the patient’s arm. However non-invasive blood measure is slightly less accurate than invasive measures. For more extensive procedures, a monitor that measures IBP, or invasive blood pressure is usually required as is temperature. IBP is measured invasively through an arterial line. Invasive arterial pressure measurement with intra vascular cannulae involves direct measurement of arterial pressure by placing a cannula needle in an artery. Most vital signs machines used in the OR setting will measure both.

    Respiratory parameters are important parameters on an anesthesia monitor. Pulse oximetery or Spo2 is usually the starting point and capnography is used to measure ETCo2 or end tidal carbon dioxide. During anesthesia, there is interplay between two components: the patient and the anesthesia administration device (which is usually a breathing circuit and a ventilator or respirator). The critical connection between the two components is either an endotracheal tube or a mask, and CO2 is typically monitored at this junction. Capnography directly reflects the elimination of CO2 by the lungs to the anesthesia device. Indirectly, it reflects the production of CO2 by tissues and the circulatory transport of CO2 to the lungs. (see wikipedia: capnograph)

    A final parameter that is measured by higher end anesthesia monitors is 5 agent gas monitor which quantifies any one of the following 5 anesthetic agents: Halothane, Isoflurane, Enflurane, Desflurane and Sevoflurane


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