Arterial-line monitoring system simulation.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to improve the realism of our patient simulation environment by developing a simulation of the arterial-line monitoring system. Properties of the system we wished to depict were: electro-mechanical delay between ECG and radial artery pressure, beat to beat amplitude variability and respiratory variation, realistic looking pulse pressure in hypertensive and hypotensive states, a functional link to the stopcock and transducer flush, and filtering characteristics of the measurement system.


METHODS
A standard clinical pressure transducer and stopcock were modified to provide data about their state to a personal computer. A software program was written to modify the arterial pressure waveform from a patient simulator according to the pressure transducer and stopcock state as well as user settings to produce a new waveform.


RESULTS
All of the desired improvements in the realism of the arterial waveform were implemented.


CONCLUSIONS
The realism of scenarios using the patient simulator is enhanced by having the arterial-line monitoring system more accurately simulated.
Feinstein
D M
DM
Harvard Medical School and Department of Anesthesia, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Raemer
D B
DB
D001794:Blood Pressure; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012984:Software; D014159:Transducers