Dear SIRS Making a Difference
APSF Newsletter, Fall 2005
Recently, I was about 15 minutes into a case with the patient on the ventilator, and several alarms went off, all of the lights on the ventilator lit up, and…
Descending Bellows Drives Question
APSF Newsletter, Summer 2005
We are currently evaluating new anesthesia machines for purchase. One of the models is a 2005 Datascope Anestar model. It has a hanging bellows. The company states that the hanging…
Cause of Ventilator Failure is Unclear
APSF Newsletter, Spring 2005
We would like to report an incident of anesthesia machine failure with possible patient safety implications. After the induction and intubation of an 8-year-old female and during the sterile skin…
Clinician Recognizes Importance of Machine Checkout
APSF Newsletter, Winter 2004
I am an anesthesiologist in practice in Santa Barbara, CA. The issue I am concerned with involves both organization and anesthesia machines. We put into service 18 months ago 15…
Common Gas Outlet Concern Leads to Corrective Action
APSF Newsletter, Fall 2004
I had the pleasure of investigating the newest and latest versions of anesthesia machines at the 2003 ASA meeting. I was surprised to observe an auxiliary common gas outlet on…
O2 Blender Causes Concern
APSF Newsletter, Summer 2004
Is it fair to assume that a gas outlet fitting indexed to the oxygen diameter index safety system (DISS) should guarantee that 100% high pressure oxygen is indeed delivered at…