Recognition of mixed anesthetic agents by mass spectrometer during anesthesia

Anesthetic agents are sometimes added to the wrong vaporizer on an anesthesia machine. As a result, the vaporizer may deliver a mixture of anesthetic agents at concentrations inappropriate for use on a patient. However, untoward clinical complications related to vaporizers can be prevented with a time-shared mass spectrometer. This device accurately and rapidly indicates the gases and gas concentrations present in a vaporizer.