Overcoming the Challenge of Ventilation During Anaesthesia

Patients today are not only becoming older and heavier, but are also more likely to have complications, such as compromised lungs, that could significantly increase the challenges during even the most routine procedures. Ventilation standards are tested every day in the ICU, where the most critically ill patients demand accurate and responsive ventilation. So when delivering ventilation capabilities in the operating theatre, customers rely on our ICU ventilator technology similar to the Engström* Carestation* in our anaesthesia ventilators.

Vital Capacity and Cycling

It is well known that atelectasis occurs during general anaesthesia and can persist postoperatively, contributing to significant post-operative complications with additional healthcare costs.¹  

Common strategies to prevent atelectasis are the Vital Capacity and Cycling Manoeuvres.

Until now, this has been delivered manually by the caregiver during the case. The Aisys CS² and Avance CS² Carestations* introduce two lung ventilation procedures to help caregivers in dealing with atelectasis.  

Vital Capacity procedure automates the manual bag ‘squeeze and hold.'  PEEP can be programmed at the end of the procedure that may help prevent recurrent atelectasis.

Cycling is a toolkit that allows the clinician to design a lung mechanics manoeuvre, to stepwise increase and decrease PEEP in programmable increments during mechanical ventilation, to help clinician open collapsed airways.

¹ Br J Anaesth 2003; 91: 61±72. New concepts of atelectasis during general anaesthesia.

Flow Power

FLOW POWER INSIDE provides a digitally controlled flow valve delivers fast response times similar to the Engström* Carestation* ICU ventilator. Digital flow delivery technology, or flow valves, helps clinicians:

• Reach targeted pressures quickly
• Maximise time available for gas exchange across a wide range of patient types  

That's why all of our anaesthesia delivery solutions employ digitally controlled flow valves, a technology that is found inside GE’s Engström Carestation as well as other leading premium critical care ventilators. GE brings premium ICU flow valve technology standard to all of its anaesthesia delivery solutions.

GE’s anaesthesia delivery solutions feature class-leading breathing circuit kinetics as standard. And with the Aisys* Carestation*, anaesthesia delivery management is taken to the next level with Et Control and an intelligent “circle system” hypoxic guard to avoid inadvertent hypoxic mixtures.

Aisys is now available with brand new enhancements and innovations to help the clinician care for the anaesthetised patient: Lung mechanic procedures - the ability to automate the delivery of a vital capacity breath and a "clinical toolkit" to help clinician recruit collapsed lungs.

Neonatal Patients

With neonates the delivery of effective mechanical ventilation can be extremely challenging. Neonatal physiology and very small physical size requires a delicate equilibrium and sensitivity of the anaesthesia device with the developing lungs. GE anaesthesia systems help you:  

• Reduce challenges with precision volume and precision pressure delivery, breath by breath
• Minimise nuisance alarms that can occur when using uncuffed endotracheal tubes with sophisticated alarm management
• Enhance alarm management and flow sensing capability - in our Aisys* Carestation* - which is specifically designed for neonates and paediatric patients.

CPAP Pressure Support Ventilation

Pressure support ventilation for spontaneously breathing patients has become common practice during general anaesthesia. Pressure support ventilation  helps you:

• Enhance inspiratory flow with improved gas distribution
• Wean the patient from mechanical ventilation  

GE has added a new pressure support ventilation mode to Aisys*: CPAP PSV, bringing ICU quality pressure support to the operating theatre. CPAP PSV allows the patient to breathe spontaneously, with a pressure above ambient pressure maintained in the airway. During a pressure-supported breath, the ventilator provides a set pressure level on top of the CPAP level during the inspiratory phase of the patient’s breath. If the patient becomes apnoeic, a clinician set backup minimum rate and inspiratory pressure takes care of the patient’s ventilatory needs. As soon as the patient is able to breathe spontaneously, the minimum rate ventilation automatically reverts to CPAP PSV.