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Nitric oxide administration after the ventilator: evaluation of mixing conditions
Author(s) -
WESTFELT U. NATHORST,
LUNDIN S.,
STENQVIST O.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1997.tb04678.x
Subject(s) - mixing (physics) , medicine , carbon dioxide , capnography , soda lime , anesthesia , complete mixing , volume (thermodynamics) , nitrous oxide , chromatography , composite material , materials science , mass transfer , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Background: Because of the potential toxicity of nitric oxide (NO) and its oxidising product nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), any system for the delivery of inhaled NO must aim at stable and predictable levels of NO and as low concentrations as possible of NO 2 . Methods: In a laboratory set‐up, we have evaluated mixing conditions in a system where NO is added after the ventilator with continuous flow. Mixing was studied by using carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as a tracer gas since capnography has a short response time (360 ms) in comparison with measurements of NO with electrochemical fuel cells (response time of 18s). CO 2 (in volumes corresponding to an ideal mixture of 1,3 and 6%) was fed, after the ventilator, either into plain breathing tubing, into one or two soda lime absorbers, or into an empty and a soda lime‐filled canister, at different ventilatory rates and different I: E ratios. Samples were drawn from the inspiratory limb close to the Y‐piece. NO was added in the same way and in the same volume as the highest concentration of CO 2 . Results: CO 2 added to plain tubing resulted in peak levels up to five times the set levels, while addition to a mixing box with an empty and a soda lime‐filled canister resulted in even mixing with gas concentrations close to the ideal. When NO was fed into plain tubing, low levels were measured at the Y‐piece, indicating poor mixing. Gas supply to a mixing chamber resulted in even concentrations. Conclusions: Even and predictable levels of NO can be obtained with continuous flow of NO to the inspiratory limb, after the ventilator, if a mixing chamber is used. To obtain adequate mixing, the volume of the mixing box should be greater than the tidal volume.