title: The effect of nitrous oxide diffusion on laryngeal mask airway cuff inflation in children.
abstract: We studied the effect of nitrous oxide (N2O) diffusion on size 2 LMA cuff inflation in 52 children, 38 +/- 21 months of age. LMA cuffs were inflated with air (Group A) or 65% N2O, oxygen and halothane (Group B). Cuffs were inflated in a stepwise manner, achieving a cuff leak pressure of 17 +/- 4 cm H2O for all patients. Cuff volume and intracuff pressure increased in Group A (8.5 +/- 1.0 ml to 10.8 +/- 1.4 ml and 101 +/- 36 mmHg to 152 +/- 42 mmHg, respectively) and decreased in Group B (8.9 +/- 1.0 ml to 6.6 +/- 1.5 ml and 90 +/- 30 mmHg to 53 +/- 37 mmHg, respectively). Cuff leak pressure did not change significantly in either group. We conclude that cuff inflation with a mixture of N2O/oxygen prevents N2O diffusion into the cuff, avoiding cuff overinflation without compromising LMA function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Algren
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gursoy
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Skjonsby
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004058:Diffusion; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017214:Laryngeal Masks / Q000009:adverse effects; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D010100:Oxygen; D010614:Pharynx / Q000293:injuries; D011312:Pressure
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D010100:Oxygen