[Measurement of gas exchange in anesthesia and during resuscitation: principles and applications]

Pulmonary gas exchange measurements can be performed in ICU with commercially available devices. During open-circuit anaesthesia, measurement of VO2 and VCO2 requires the acquisition of fractional concentration of inspired and expired nitrogen, the appropriate calibration of sensors according to the use of anaesthetic gases and to take into account the unsteady state of nitrogen body stores after a change in FiN2. This technique can be readily used to measure energetic expenditure or to specific applications as oxygen cost of breathing, respiratory effects of parenteral nutrition or the metabolic effects of various anaesthetic procedures in man.