How should clinicians best use the QED-100 with the Draeger Apollo machines?
The QED-100 may be used with the Apollo as with any other machine. At emergence, ensure tidal volumes are at least 500 ml and that the minute ventilation is at least double the maintenance minute ventilation. To ensure proper monitoring of CO2 values the clinician must disable the CO2 alarm while the QED-100 is activated. During the short period of time that it takes for the patient to emerge from volatile anesthesia increased vigilance should be given to the CO2 levels as indicated in the QED-100 instruction for use. Note that when oxygen and anesthetic values begin to oscillate, the lower oxygen value displayed is the end tidal value and the higher oxygen value is the inspired value. Conversely, the lower of the anesthetic values (most likely zero) is the inspired anesthetic value and the higher anesthetic value is the end tidal value. As long as any of the oxygen values stays above 35%, the patient should maintain good oxygenation.
