Humidification of anesthetic gases
Chalon, Jack; Ali, M; Turndorf, Herman; Fischgrund, GK
Springfield, Ill. : Thomas, c1981
Extent: xii, 138 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
ISBN: 9780398044619
CID: 290962
Humidity and the anesthetized patient
Chalon J; Patel C; Ali M; Ramanathan S; Capan L; Tang CK; Turndorf H
Damage to the ciliated cells of the tracheobronchial tree and incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications were measured by point-scoring systems in 202 patients who breathed dry and humidified anesthetic gases for 225 +/- 78 min. The incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications decreased as the humidity of administered anesthetic gases increased from 0 to 32.5 mg H2O/l. A similar relationship was found between the amount of inhaled moisture and the damage to the ciliated epithelium of the tracheobronchial tree. These results appear to indicate that a high inspired humidity is beneficial for operations on normothermic patients, and that cellular damage caused by dryness is a possible contributory factor in the production of the pulmonary atelectasis that follows stoppage of the mucociliary transport system in the immmediate postoperative period
PMID: 434502
ISSN: 0003-3022
CID: 23482