Reinforcing a "low flow" anaesthesia policy with feedback can produce a sustained reduction in isoflurane consumption.
A three-month audit of isoflurane consumption at Palmerston North Hospital in 1994 showed an averaged vapour flow rate of approx 85 ml per minute of anaesthesia, equivalent to 1.4% isoflurane at six litres per minute. After purchasing volatile agent analysers, a program encouraging low flow anaesthesia and providing a report of the previous month's consumption rate was started in July 1996. The isoflurane averaged vapour flow rate was tracked over the following twenty-month period and fell by a sustained 65% to range around 30 +/- 5 ml/min, producing savings of approximately NZ$104,000 over this period.
McKenzie
A J
AJ
Dept of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Palmerston North Hospital, New Zealand.
D000761:Anesthesia Department, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000191:economics*; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D005246:Feedback; D006801:Humans; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics*; D009520:New Zealand; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D007530:Isoflurane