title: Continuous monitoring of irrigating fluid absorption during transurethral surgery.
abstract: We have designed an automatic detector system for noninvasive monitoring of irrigating fluid absorption during transurethral resection of the prostate. Ethanol, which is used as a tracer for the fluid, is measured in the expired breath of the patient. The breath ethanol monitor can be used both in the awake patient and during general anaesthesia. A lap-top computer controls the monitor and calculates the fluid absorption 1-3 times per min and uses the pattern of ethanol changes to indicate whether the fluid is being taken by the intra- and/or extravascular route. The monitor has been used in routine operations for one year. The interpretation of absorption routes was checked by control methods or by evaluation of the postoperative breath-ethanol curve. We found the indicated absorption to be correct in all resections with absorption large enough for the monitor to present an interpretation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ribbe
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D000431:Ethanol; D005998:Glycine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D012996:Solutions; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
chemical_list: D012996:Solutions; D000431:Ethanol; D005998:Glycine