Owner manual

3 Monitoring
Monitoring
LIFEPAK 20e Defibrillator/Monitor Operating Instructions 3-21
©2006-2013 Physio-Control, Inc.
CO
2
Detection
A CO
2
waveform appears when any CO
2
is detected, but CO
2
must be greater than 3.5 mmHg for
a numerical value to be displayed. However, the CO
2
module will not recognize a breath until the
CO
2
is at least 8 mmHg (1.0% or 1 kPa). Valid breaths must be detected in order for the apnea
alarm to function and to count the respiratory rate (RR).
When CO
2
is not detected in the cardiac arrest situation—for example, the CO
2
waveform is
either dashes “---” or a flat solid line at or near zero—several factors must be quickly evaluated.
Assess for the following causes:
Equipment Issues
FilterLine set is disconnected from the endotracheal tube (ETT)
System is purging due to fluid in the patient/sensor connection from ET administration of
medications
System is auto-zeroing
FilterLine connection to device is loose
Loss of Airway Function
Improper placement of ETT
ETT dislodgment
ETT obstruction
Physiological Factors
Apnea
Loss of perfusion
Exsanguination
Massive pulmonary embolism
Inadequate CPR
Cleaning
Accessories for CO
2
monitoring are disposable and are intended for single-patient use. Do not
clean and reuse a FilterLine set. Dispose of the contaminated waste according to local protocols.