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 Bassem O Asaad A1 Mohammad Helwani A1 David M Wheeler A1 Michael S O'Connor 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.