Monday December 12, 2005
Continuous intravascular blood gas monitoring

As ICUs are getting more and more tech-savy, intensivists have also been added with extra responsibility to know the evidence based status of different machines / technologies. In this term, one fast emerging technique is continuous intravascular blood gas monitoring. Our literature search (major work so far done in pediatric critical care) showed favourable approach to this technology despite reports of inaccurate measurement of PO2. As technique is very young, no data is available on cost effectiveness. But in adult patients overall its a good peri-operative and immediate post-operative tool particularly in cardiothoracic patients (transplant, one lung ventilation etc). Also, its a better replacement in extremely unstable patients requiring multiple ABGs such as refractory septic shock, ARDS, severe COPD and trauma patients.

Related: Click here to read good review article with links to all major studies re. continuous intravascular blood gas monitoring. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2003, Vol. 91, No. 3 397-407