Transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension in newborn infants: reliability and safety of continuous 24-hour measurement at 42 degrees C.
In 58 newborn infants a new iridium oxide sensor was evaluated for transcutaneous carbon dioxide (tcPCO2) monitoring at 42 degrees C with a prolonged fixation time of 24 hours. The correlation of tcPCO2 (y; mm Hg) v PaCO2 (x; mm Hg) for 586 paired values was: y = 4.6 + 1.45x; r = .89; syx = 6.1 mm Hg. The correlation was not influenced by the duration of fixation. The transcutaneous sensor detected hypocapnia (PaCO2 less than 35 mm Hg) in 74% and hypercapnia (PCO2 greater than 45 mm Hg) in 74% of all cases. After 24 hours, calibration shifts were less than 4 mm Hg in 90% of the measuring periods. In 86% of the infants, no skin changes were observed; in 12% of infants, there were transitional skin erythemas and in 2% a blister which disappeared without scarring. In newborn infants with normal BPs, continuous tcPCO2 monitoring at 42 degrees C can be extended for as many as 24 hours without loss of reliability or increased risk for skin burns.
D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards*; D004566:Electrodes; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D007495:Iridium; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011312:Pressure; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012449:Safety
C044458:iridium oxide; D007495:Iridium