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FAQ




Microstream® technology provides healthcare professionals with the most advanced CO2 monitoring and the clearest advantages for delivering capnography to all patients in all environments. To understand how Microstream® capnography makes a difference read below.

1. We watch the patient breathe. Why do we need a ventilation monitor?

2. We don't give deep sedation so do we still need to use capnography?

3. We use a pulse oximeter on each patient so why use EtCO2 as well?

4. Why do we now need to monitor EtCO2?

5. Why use Microstream® capnography instead of a colorimetric device?

6. What waveform will I see with a Right Mainstem intubation?

7. What can be assessed using EtCO2 for patients with COPD?

8. What waveform will I see for a patient with asthma?

9. Is EtCO2 a better choice than TcCO2?

10. What about monitoring non-intubated neonates?

11. How can ABG draws be reduced?

12. We use HME and/or in-line suction. Can we use Microstream® capnography ?

13. I've always had to calibrate and zero my EtCO2. Why don't I need to with Microstream® capnography?

14. What are the new Guidelines for monitoring during Procedural Sedation?

15. Can I use capnography with O2 delivery or while giving a breathing treatment?



1. We watch the patient breathe. Why do we need a ventilation monitor?
Observation of chest movement and skin color are not optimal forms of monitoring ventilation. Chest excursion is a subjective assessment at best. Skin color provides late notification of the presence of hypoxia. The objective data presented through EtCO2 can alert caregivers to respiratory rate and apnea, hyper and hypocapnia, and evidence of obstructed ventilation.

2. We don't give deep sedation so do we still need to use capnography?
Yes. Because there are a variety of physiologic responses to sedatives and analgesic drugs, the patient is at risk for ventilatory depression even when low doses or "milder" medications are administered. There is no way to predict how all individuals will react to a medication. A planned "Conscious Sedation" can easily become an unplanned "Deep Sedation." Plus, if a reversal medication has been administered, it is wise to continue monitoring the patient's ventilation to ensure that the sedative/analgesic remains reversed.

3. We use a pulse oximeter on each patient so why use EtCO2 as well?
A pulse oximeter measures oxygenation and alerts caregivers to hypoxic events. Capnography measures ventilation and will alert the caregiver to ventilatory events BEFORE a pulse oximeter. In addition, a patient receiving supplemental oxygen can have an SPO2 of 100% and have an EtCO2 of 100mmHg.

4. Why do we now need to monitor EtCO2?
In addition to the findings of many researchers and societies regarding safety and outcomes, the other piece of the answer is that you finally CAN easily and accurately monitor EtCO2 for all patients using the Microstream® technology.

5. Why use Microstream® capnography instead of a colorimetric device?
A colorimetric device is only useful for a brief time and it then must be thrown away. It can be damaged by moisture, must be visualized in good lighting and it produces no actual EtCO2 value.
A colorimetric device is not a vigilance monitor for ongoing ETT placement assessment.
A colorimetric device has no alarms and no waveforms.
A colorimetric device cannot display respiratory rate.
Microstream® EtCO2 can be used as a vigilance monitor for all intubated and non-intubated patients in all environments.

6. What waveform will I see with a Right Mainstem intubation?
The waveform shape may appear normal and the EtCO2 value may be within normal limits as well. The alveoli of the Right side are all contributing to the EtCO2 value. This is especially true in the first few moments post extubation. A chest X-ray is the only true method to identify where in the airway the tip of the ETT is positioned. The patient's SpO2 may drop when the ETT is in the Right Mainstem bronchus.

7. What can be assessed using EtCO2 for patients with COPD?
The COPD patient is especially sensitive to changes in arterial CO2 (PaCO2). It is critical that these patients not receive too much Oxygen and that their CO2 be kept within a range that will allow them a therapeutic drive to breath. The COPD patient will show changes in the shape of their waveforms in response to bronchodilator therapy.

8. What waveform will I see for a patient with asthma?
The waveform will be rounded and likely smaller during ronchospasm, similar to the COPD patient. The waveform will become normal if a good response is gained from the delivery of bronchodilator therapy.

9. Is EtCO2 a better choice than TcCO2?
Transcutaneous monitoring displays a reflection of an arterial CO2 (PCO2) which is a different physiological parameter than EtCO2. Most newborns and some neonates have a-ADCO2 (and so the EtCO2 and TcCO2 are the approximately the same). The TcCO2 does not provide airway vigilance, waveforms for ventilation assessment, or alarms alerting the clinician to apnea and disconnects. EtCO2 and TcCO2 can be used together as a tool to assess the widening or narrowing of a-ADCO2 in response to changes in patient care modalities. TcCO2 sensors can cause skin damage or burns to the patient and must be moved and adjusted frequently.

10. What about monitoring non-intubated neonates?
You can monitor non-intubated neonate using Microstream® technology and FilterLine® breath sampling lines.

11. How can ABG draws be reduced?
When an infant or neonate has a normal aADCO2, the EtCO2 value approximates the PCO2. If the ABGs are utilized for weaning purposes or for daily ABG assessment, then the number of draws can be greatly reduced by using a protocol that incorporates EtCO2 and SpO2.

12. We use HME and/or in-line suction. Can we use Microstream® capnography?
Yes, in both applications. For in-line suction devices, be sure to place the Microstream® airway adapter between the ventilation source (Y-piece) and the ventilation adapter of the closed suction system. Do not suction through the airway adapter.

13. I?ve always had to calibrate and zero my EtCO2. Why don?t I need to with Microstream®? capnography?
The CO2 specific technology eliminates monitor setup to compensate for Oxygen and anesthetic gases. The IR wavelength matches the CO2 absorption spectrum such that readings are stable, accurate and not cross-sensitive to other gases occurs.

14. What are the new Guidelines for monitoring during Procedural Sedation?
The Guidelines for Office Basic Anesthesia (ASA-1999) state that, "In any location where anesthesia is administered, there should be appropriate anesthesia apparatus and equipment which allow monitoring consistent with the ASA Standards for Basic Anesthetic Monitoring....". Those Standards address both general anesthesia and Deep Sedation in all places of practice (OR, Special Procedures, Radiology, MD Offices and Clinics, Electrophysiology, GI Lab, and so on).

15. Can I use capnography with O2 delivery or while giving a breathing treatment?
YES. The set up will depend on the treatment or O2 device.


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