Waste Anesthesia Monitoring

An important aspect is the efficiency of the ventilation system and its capability to remove the anaesthetic agents in the operating room. The agent levels should be checked continuously.

Legislation and enforcement in this field varies greatly from country to country. For example, in Italy, the law requires extensive monitoring of anesthetic gases in operating rooms and frequent measurements on the ventilation system.

The anesthetic gases that usually are monitored are Nitrous Oxide, Isoflurane, Enflurane, Sevoflurane and Desflurane. Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) and Isopropanol are also monitored in order to cross-compensate for interferences. CO₂ is also used as an indicator of the air quality and the ventilation efficiency in the operating room.

In addition to the continuous monitoring of the operating room, the adjacent pre-anesthesia room and wake-up room are also monitored.

The Photoacoustic Gas Monitor – INNOVA 1512 is well suited for this type of measurement. The monitor is easily operated and can measure up to five gases at a time, which would include anesthetic agents of interest and CO₂.

The measurement results are automatically compensated for water vapor, which is measured with a separate filter. The advantage of the Photoacoustic Gas Monitor – INNOVA 1512 is its high stability and repeatability with infrequent calibration (typically once a year), linear response, low detection limits, and no consumables.