RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Use of Non-Partitioned Ventilator Tubing Results in Dead-Space Ventilation Hypercarbia
JF Respiratory Care
FD American Association for Respiratory Care
SP 698
OP 701
DO 10.4187/respcare.01017
VO 56
IS 5
A1 Asaad, Bassem O
A1 Helwani, Mohammad
A1 Wheeler, David M
A1 O'Connor, Michael S
YR 2011
UL http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/56/5/698.abstract
AB We present a case of severe postoperative hypercarbia in a patient with severe COPD. Hypercarbia and respiratory acidosis continued to increase despite maximal ventilation, bronchodilator therapy, sedation, and paralysis. Mistaken use of non-partitioned ventilator circuit was the cause of the hypercarbia. The ventilator's self-test function failed to detect the error. We changed to a partitioned-lumen circuit, with much less ventilation dead space, and the hypercarbia resolved immediately.