9 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8
SenTec |
Digital Monitoring System
SenTec has come up with an easier way to monitor arterial CO
2
that
could be valuable for a lot of patients. It's non-invasive, with a sensor
that can be applied to numerous validated measurement sites on the
body to provide continuous data.
While it's relatively easy to monitor blood gas in the OR, it becomes
a lot more challenging when patients reach the PACU. An EKG can
show respiration, but it doesn't show end-title CO
2
. So, I see this sys-
tem as being potentially very helpful with the management of high-
risk patients, such as those with sleep apnea or patients with signifi-
cantly high BMIs — especially post-operatively when patients are still
given opioids.
The ability to monitor the quality of their ventilation could prevent
atelectasis. Plus, elevated CO
2
can affect blood pressure, which is
especially concerning for patients with cardiac issues. If you're not
carefully monitoring, you may even have to rescue an airway. This
promotes safety by cluing you in to ventilation issues earlier.
