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Updated: Aug 3, 2026

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Published on: November 9, 2019
Production of compound A and carbon monoxide in circle systems: an in vitro comparison of two carbon dioxide
M M R F Struys1, M P L A Bouche, G Rolly
1Department of Anaesthesia, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. michel.struys@ugent.be
Abstract:
Two new generation carbon dioxide absorbents, DrägerSorb Free and Amsorb Plus, were studied in vitro for formation of compound A or carbon monoxide, during minimal gas flow (500 ml x min(-1)) with sevoflurane or desflurane. Compound A was assessed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and carbon monoxide with continuous infrared spectrometry. Fresh and dehydrated absorbents were studied. Mean (SD) time till exhaustion (inspiratory carbon dioxide concentration >or= 1 kPa) with fresh absorbents was longer with DrägerSorb Free (1233 (55) min) than with Amsorb Plus (1025 (55) min; p < 0.01). For both absorbents, values of compound A were < 1 ppm and therefore below clinically significant levels, but were up to 0.25 ppm higher with DrägerSorb Free than with Amsorb Plus. Using dehydrated absorbents, values of compound A were about 50% lower than with fresh absorbents and were identical for DrägerSorb Free and Amsorb Plus. With dehydrated absorbents, no detectable carbon monoxide was found with desflurane.
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