Anaesthetic conserving device AnaConDa: dead space effect and significance for lung protective ventilation

The anaesthetic conserving device AnaConDa (ACD) reflects exhaled anaesthetic agents thereby facilitating the use of inhaled anaesthetic agents outside operating theatres. Expired CO₂ is, however, also reflected causing a dead space effect in excess of the ACD internal volume. CO₂ reflection from the ACD is attenuated by humidity. This study tests the hypothesis that sevoflurane further attenuates reflection of CO₂. An analysis of clinical implications of our findings was performed.

Twelve postoperative patients received mechanical ventilation using a conventional heat and moisture exchanger (HME, internal volume 50 ml) and an ACD (100 ml), the latter with or without administration of sevoflurane. The ACD was also studied with a test lung at high sevoflurane concentrations. Reflection of CO₂ and dead space effects were evaluated with the single-breath test for CO2.

Sevoflurane reduced but did not abolish CO₂ reflection. In patients, the mean dead space effect with 0.8% sevoflurane was 88 ml larger using the ACD compared with the HME (P<0.001), of which 38 ml was due to CO₂ reflection. Our calculations show that with the use of the ACD, normocapnia cannot be achieved with tidal volume <6 ml kg(-1) even when respiratory rate is increased.

An ACD causes a dead space effect larger than its internal volume due to reflection of CO₂, which is attenuated but not abolished by sevoflurane administration. CO₂ reflection from the ACD limits its use with low tidal volume ventilation, such as with lung protection ventilation strategies.

Clinical Trials NCT01699802.