Capnography standards for outside the operating room.

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Critical Care Medicine
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Capnography use is well-established and implemented in operating theatres globally.
• Significant patient harm and deaths outside the operating room, particularly in ICUs, have been linked to inadequate airway monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent standards and recommendations for capnography use outside the operating room.
• To examine the rationale and development behind these emerging guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent publications and guidelines on capnography use.
• Analysis of evidence linking capnography to patient outcomes in non-theatre settings.

Main Results:

• A landmark report highlighted preventable deaths and harm outside the OR, with capnography potentially preventing up to 74% of ICU deaths.
• New standards for capnography use in ICUs, emergency departments, and other hospital areas have been published.
• Waveform capnography's utility extends to reflecting cardiac output, as per 2015 resuscitation guidelines.

Conclusions:

• New capnography standards for use outside the operating room are expected to enhance patient safety, mirroring successes within the OR.
• Further research is needed to understand and address the low implementation rates of these standards in non-theatre settings.