Anaes Cases · Medical gases & gas supply
Pipeline oxygen failure — management
The pipeline O2 failure long case — open the cylinder, switch to air, inform surgeon + engineering, rationalise the flow, calculate the cylinder duration.
On this page
Study tools
Target exams
ANZCAFRCAABAEDAIC
Prompt
During a general anaesthetic, the pipeline oxygen pressure alarm sounds and the gauge falls to zero. Discuss the management of this emergency.
Presentation
During an elective abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia (the oxygen at 2 L/min, the air at 2 L/min, the sevoflurane 2 per cent), the pipeline oxygen pressure alarm sounds. The pipeline pressure gauge falls from 4 bar to zero. The oxygen flowmeter bobbin falls. The N2O flowmeter also falls (the fail-safe device). The capnograph continues to show the trace.[22563958]
References2ShowHide
- [1]AAGBI. Checking anaesthetic equipment 2012. Anaesthesia, 2012.PMID 22563957
- [22563958]Bersten AD, Soni N (eds) Oh's Intensive Care Manual. 8th edition, Elsevier, 2018.