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Accuracy of disposable blood pressure transducers used in the critical care setting
R H Bailey1, J H Bauer, J Yanos
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia 65212.
Objectives:
To assess the initial accuracy, drift in calibration over several hours, and decline in accuracy over daily use of blood pressure transducers used in the critical care setting.
Design:
Prospective, criterion standard.
Setting:
Three critical care units in a university hospital.
Subjects:
Twenty-seven consecutively available high-pressure transducers were used to measure intra-arterial blood pressures, and 11 consecutively available low-pressure transducers were used to measure central venous and pulmonary arterial blood pressures.
Interventions:
High-pressure transducers were compared with a mercury column manometer, and low-pressure transducers were compared with a water column manometer at three pressure levels. Data were collected initially after installation of the pressure transducer, at 3 hrs, and at 6 hrs. Data collections were repeated on subsequent days.
Measurements And Main Results:
a) The majority of pressure transducers are accurate; b) there is no drift in the accuracy of pressure transducers over several hours; c) the accuracy of pressure transducers does not decline over subsequent days. Some transducers over-estimated standard pressures by 10 mm Hg and/or underestimated standard pressure by 17 mm Hg.
Conclusions:
The majority of pressure transducers used in the critical care setting are accurate, although there are some transducers that may compromise patient care. Blood pressure transducers should be checked against a standard manometer upon installation, and daily during use.
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