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I N H A L A T I O N
A G E N T S
which often have a closing time and
might not be as advantageous. Yes, you
can't afford to pay nurses to wait after
put fewer anesthetic molecules into
hours for patients to reach the right
the patient, which can ease the post-op
body temperature and become alert.
recovery process, but the body still
Low flows can be applied to any of
takes a longer time to blow off cheap-
the inhalational agents. As mentioned,
er agents, which are often character-
dialing back the gas can cut sevoflu-
ized by longer-lasting effects. So you
rane and desflurane costs significantly.
might save $10 a case by using low-
Both agents clear quickly from the
flow isoflurane, for example, but if you
cells of the body after surgery, so you
have to keep a nurse on overtime or
have a win-win with faster post-op
tie up a post-op bed on a busy morning
awakenings. Using the low-flow
while patients recover, you've lost that
method with less expensive gases
cost advantage, and then some.
Launching low flow
It's essential that providers
delivering low-flow anesthesia work with gas analyzers,
pulse oximeters and capnographs that are calibrated
on a regular basis — even a
10% error can result in disaster (see "When Does Flow
Become Low?"). If you're
going to pursue a low-flow
program, don't scrimp on
your bioengineering services. Follow the exact letter
of each of the manufactur-
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E | J U LY 2013
