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Palmetto Health Richland Campus in Columbia, S.C. "If you're in an
endo outpatient facility, a cheaper machine is OK. You're not doing
general anesthesia, and the machine is only an expensive Ambu bag."
In other words, there's no reason to pay for features you don't need.
For example, if you're going to be using only one or 2 anesthetic
agents, you don't need multiple vaporizers, says Dr. Sinha.
"The fewer bells and whistles, the fewer the breakdowns," he adds.
"What you want above all else are accurate measurements. How
much carbon dioxide is being expelled? How much agent is the
patient consuming? You want a machine that's accurate and that rap-
idly calibrates when you make changes in the concentration you're
delivering. You want a quick response. Accuracy, quotability, simplici-
ty of function — those are the keys."
So be sure to take a
test drive before you
buy. "Most manufac-
turers are very confi-
dent and will let you
trial their machines,"
says Dr. Sinha. "That's
the best way to know
if they provide the
features you absolute-
ly require."
A less-expensive
machine, such as
those offered by
Penlon or Oricare,
may be the answer
for a facility that
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