Monday, June 23, 2014

Critical Care Monitoring – EtCO2 / SpO2

Pulse oximetry is one of the most useful practices in the world of critical care medicine, allowing professionals to get a quick read on blood oxygen levels and use that data in diagnosis and in determining the need for supplemental oxygen. Because of their simplicity, pulse oximeters are common in several healthcare service levels ranging from ICU / critical care (to monitor the oxygenation of a patient) to recovery after reconstructive (to ensure oxygenated blood is reaching affected areas).


Nonin Handheld CO2 Monitor
However, oximetry has its limitations – it can only provide so much information, and sometimes, other tools are required to ensure patient health. Pulse oximetry works by refraction and only measures hemoglobin (oxygenated blood) saturation – not ventilation or metabolism of the oxygen. Sometimes, an oximeter alone doesn’t give you the entire picture of data needed to make critical medical decisions. For example, in patients with severe anemia, the blood can be 100% saturated and will give an oximeter reading as such, but will not be effective because blood that has been affected by severe anemia, even at full saturation, will not contain enough oxygen to be effective within the body.

 

A common supplement and method used in conjunction with oximetry is capnography monitoring. One of the issues with an oximeter is that you’re only measuring oxygen levels in blood - not the concentration or pressure of carbon dioxide, which are critical for respiratory function (the removal of CO2 from the body). You could still have a very high oxygen saturation number, but if the CO2 isn’t being removed from the bloodstream, that will eventually cause several health concerns. In order to be able to get the full picture of respiratory health, you’ll have to be able to gauge both EtCO2 concentrations and Sp02 (blood oxygen saturation).

According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, 93% of avoidable anesthesia mishaps can be prevented by employing both a pulse oximeter and capnography monitor. These two tools in conjunction give a much better gauge of respiratory health then either device can provide alone.

In addition to having the largest selection of oximetry devices you’ll find anywhere, Concord Health Supply offers several devices for CO2 monitoring including our critical care EtCO2 oximeter, the LifeSense Tabletop Capnography EtCO2 and Pulse Oximetry monitor, and the Nonin Handheld CO2 and Pulse Oximetry Monitor. Check out our selection today to get both capabilities in one device.

Monday, June 16, 2014

LifeSense Tabletop Capnography and Pulse Oximetry Monitor

Capnography is becoming recognized as a critical component of patient monitoring. Capnography is the measurement of carbon dioxide concentration within exhaled gases, and serves as a monitor of partial pressure in the arterial blood. Paramedics and medical professionals utilize capnography monitoring to ensure that respiration remains steady during intubation and during anesthesia – a rise in the ETC02 levels can be an indicator of hypoventilation, drops can indicate hyperventilation. Particularly in critical care environments and with patients who have pre-existing respiratory issues, a capnography monitor can prove to be a life-saving tool by helping to diagnose these issues swiftly.

Capnography was once something limited to only the ICU, but this capability is now available in a consumer product. The LifeSense Tabletop Capnography and Pulse Oximetry Monitor is one of the only products available which allows for continuous EtCO2 monitoring in a compact package. Engineered by the experts at Nonin, the LifeSense Monitor provides accurate EtC02 and Sp02 monitoring in seconds – a key component in critical care situations.

In addition to accurate monitoring of EtCO2 on the first breath, the LifeSense monitor offers a widescreen, touch-panel display with continuous monitoring and waveform display, allowing accurate readings down to the second. This waveform is monitored for 4 hours with trending monitoring, giving medical professionals the data they need to make accurate decisions regarding the care of their patients. The widescreen display also delivers numerical data display through its backlit LCD, with both audible and visual alarms, offering an unmatched level of monitoring and making it easy for medical professionals to access that data. Data can also be exported via RS-232, offering yet even more capability to this device.


Effective for both intubated and non-intubated patients, the LifeSense Tabletop monitor is the ideal tool for critical care EtCO2 monitoring. From gauging the efficiency of CPR to verifying tube placements, this compact tabletop monitor is the ideal tool for patient monitoring. It combines the functions of both a full-fledge capnography monitor and pulse oximeter into one convenient, useful device.

Learn more about the LifeSense Tabletop Capnography and Pulse Oximetry Monitor, and other monitoring tools for respiration, at Concord Health Supply today!