Broken inspiratory valve detected by capnographic waveforms during general anesthesia: A case report.
10.4097/kjae.2009.57.4.493
- Author:
Mi Young KIM
1
;
Eun Joo KIM
;
Ji Hyang LEE
;
Sang Kon LEE
;
Jong Suk BAN
;
Byung Woo MIN
Author Information
1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Daegu Fatima Hospital, Daegu, Korea. kej1127@fatima.or.kr
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Capnogram;
Inspiratory valve malfunction;
Rebreathing
- MeSH:
Anesthesia;
Capnography;
Extremities
- From:Korean Journal of Anesthesiology
2009;57(4):493-498
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Unidirectional valve malfunction causes re-breathing of expired gas during anesthesia. Capnography is a useful method for monitoring the integrity of anesthetic equipment such as the unidirectional valves in a circular system. We report, here a case in which the capnography did not sound any rebreathing alarm, but the capnogram showed a prolonged plateau, an apparently short inspiratory period and a gradually sloping descending limb that stopped just short of baseline. As a result, capnography helped to identify an inspiratory unidirectional valve malfunction during the course of anesthesia. This study emphasizes the need to analyze the capnogram during every procedure involving anesthesia, in addition to preoperative checking of the Unidirectional valve.
