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Determination of gas flow through airway exchange catheters: measured and calculated values and dependence on pressure and entrainment
Author(s) -
YanHong R.,
Ihra G. C.,
Gore C.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/anae.13109
Subject(s) - medicine , airway , entrainment (biomusicology) , catheter , anesthesia , mechanics , flow (mathematics) , oxygenation , hagen–poiseuille equation , volumetric flow rate , surgery , physics , rhythm
Summary Serious complications have been described during oxygenation of patients with airway exchange catheters, due to catheter malpositioning, accidentally applied high airway pressures or high delivered volumes. In this in‐vitro study, we analysed gas flow through various airway exchange catheters and described its dependence on driving pressure and entrainment. We applied driving pressures between 0.5 and 2.5 bar and observed maximal flow rates of 3.6 l.s −1 . Measured gas flow values differed significantly from values calculated according to the Hagen–Poiseuille equation. Although flow restriction in ventilators and small‐bore connectors will limit gas flow, large gas volumes may be unintentionally applied via the airway exchange catheters, leading to serious complications.