Accuracy of the 'Paedfusor' in children undergoing cardiac surgery or catheterization.
BACKGROUND
A prototype paediatric propofol target-controlled infusion (TCI) system, the 'Paedfusor' has been developed. This system incorporates a paediatric pharmacokinetic data set and algorithm specific for children in a Graseby 3500 anaesthesia syringe driver. In this study we have evaluated the accuracy of the Paedfusor TCI system in children who underwent either cardiac surgery or cardiac catheterization procedures.


METHODS
Twenty-nine children aged 1-15 yr were investigated. General anaesthesia was provided using propofol administered by the Paedfusor system. Accuracy of the system was evaluated by obtaining up to 9 arterial samples for measurement of propofol concentration both during anaesthesia and in the recovery period. Measured arterial propofol concentrations were then compared with values calculated by the Paedfusor.


RESULTS
The predictive indices of median performance error (MDPE), and median absolute performance error (MDAPE) of the Paedfusor system were found to be 4.1% and 9.7%, respectively and the median value for wobble was 8.3%. These values are much better than those found with the adult 'Diprifusor' system.


CONCLUSIONS
The Paedfusor performance was found to be within the accepted limits for use as a TCI system.
D000293:Adolescent; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D015742:Propofol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D015742:Propofol