Abstract
The transcutaneous oxygen tension (PtcO2) was studied in 18 children (age - 6 mos. to 13 yrs; wt.-5 kg. to 54 kg.) following open heart surgery. Four of the operations were done under deep hypothermia (Tcore = 15-20°C), 11 under mild hypothermia (24-28°C) and 3 at normothermia(>34).
The PtcO2 was recorded continuously for a period of several hours while an arterial catheter was in place, beginning within 8 hours after completion of surgery. Core temperature was at least 35°C in all patients at the start of recording. An electrode temperature of either 44°C or 45°C was utilized. PaO2 values from arterial blood samples were correlated with PtcO2. A plot of all paired values had a greater scatter than had been previously encountered with the use of the electrode in sick newborns (r=.53 vs r=.94). Virtually all of the PtcO2 values were lower than PaO2 with 20% of the PtcO2 values considered unacceptable on the basis of large discrepancies at the low range of PO2. Correlation at 45C electrode temperature was better than at 44C (r=.62 vs. r=.41). PtcO2 values taken beyond 8 hours post-surgery correlated significantly better than those taken earlier (r=.78 vs. r=.24). Despite differences in the individual quantitative correlations, abrupt changes in PO2 reflecting changes in respiratory status were consistently detected rapidly. These studies indicate that recording of the PtcO2 is potentially a valuable tool in the monitoring of post-operative cardiac patients.
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Raker, R., Indyk, L., Kull, C. et al. 149 CONTINUOUS MONITORING OF PO2 FOLLOWING CAR DIAC SURGERY. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 388 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00154
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00154