Exam 2 - Breathing Circuits I (Ericksen) Flashcards
(145 cards)
What 6 things does the breathing circuit do?
- receives gas mixture from the machine
- delivers gas to the patient
- removes CO2
- provides heating and humidification of the gas mixture
- allows spontaneous, assisted, or controlled respiration
- provides gas sampling, measures airway pressure, and monitors volume
Resistance
When gas passes through a tube where will the pressure be lower/higher?
- pressure will be higher @ inlet
- pressure will be lower @ outlet
Resistance
The drop in pressure throughout the tube is a measure of what?
What is an example?
- measure of the resistance that must be overcome
- ETT w/ flows coming from machine through the circle system delivered to pt - flows will be higher @ the beginning of the system is higher than when it gets to pt
What 2 flow types can change resistance?
- laminar
- turbulent
What happens with resistance when you add length to the system via connectors?
- there is more resistance that the system has to overcome
What is laminar flow?
- flow is smooth and orderly
- particles move parallel to the tube walls
- flow is fastest in center where there is less friction
What law is associated w/ laminar flow?
Poiseuille’s Law
Examples of Laminar Flow
What is “A” demonstrating?
Laminar flow - fast in middle/slow @ edges
Examples of Laminar Flow
What is “B” demonstrating?
- generalized turbulent flow
- particles all bouncing around into each other
Examples of Laminar Flow
What is “C” demonstrating?
laminar flow initially - then the tube gets narrow & you have turbulent flow
Examples of Laminar flow
What is “D,E,&F” demonstrating?
- anytime there is decreased diameter, turn, or connection = laminar flow – turbulent flow – back to laminar flow
What is turbulent flow?
What are eddies?
- flow lines are not parallel
- “eddies”: composed of particles moving across or opposite the general direction of flow
- flow rate is same across diameter of tube
Turbulent Flow
What is generalized turbulent flow?
- when the flow of gas through a tube exceeds the critical flow rate (when you just have generalized turbulent flow)
- when the critical flow rate is reached - that is when you have turbulent flow
Ex: Tube B in the images
Turbulent Flow
What is localized turbulent flow?
- gas flow rate below the critical flow rate but encounters constrictions, curves, or valves
- C,D,E, & F are all localized turbulent flow
How do you minimize resistance in the breathing circuit/system/gas-conducting pathways?
- minimal length
- maximal internal diameter
- be w/o sharp curves or sudden changes in diameter
- ideal to have something short, straight, wide, no curves
Does the anesthesia breathing system have minimal resistance?
No
* has curved tubes
* elbows
* connectors
* y-piece
* corrugated tubing
* every time we add something to the circle system - we are increasing resistance
When does resistance impose a strain on the pt?
- when using vent modes where the pt must do part or all of the work
Changes in ________ parallel changes in the ________.
resistance; work of breathing
* resistance increases = WOB increases
* decreased resistance = WOB decreases
What part of the breathing system causes the most resistance?
- ETT
- most narrow thing going in the pts airway
How can we assess the amount of resistance the pt is experiencing? (4 things)
- assess flow-volume loops
- look @ the system
- assess pt breathing
- assess pressure monitors on machine
What is compliance?
- ratio of change in volume to change in pressure
- how easy something expands/contracts
What does compliance measure?
Distensibility (mL/cmH2O)
What are the most distensible components of the breathing system?
- breathing tubes
- reservoir bags
- corrugated tubing
What is rebreathing?
inhaling previously inspired gases from which CO2 may or may not have been removed
* not just CO2, can be any inhaled anesthetic gases