title: Rectal luminal Pr(CO2), measured by automated air tonometry, does not reflect gastric luminal Pr(CO2) in children.
abstract: Rectal luminal regional P(CO2) (Pr(CO2)) was compared with gastric luminal Pr(CO2) measured by automated air tonometry at intervals of 10 min in 20 children aged 6-16 years scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia. In 5 patients, measurement of rectal Pr(CO2) failed because of catheter-related problems. In the remaining 15 children, aged 10.6 +/- 2.5 years, 19 +/- 7 paired rectal and gastric Pr(CO2) values (n total, 241) were measured. Bias and precision for gastric compared to rectal Pr(CO2) was -1.79 kPa and 2.89 kPa. In patients with obvious feces in the rectum, bias (precision) for gastric compared to rectal Pr(CO2) was -2.7 kPa (2.6 kPa) and in those with empty rectum, -0.75 kPa (1.42 kPa; t-test; P < 0.001). Based on our in vivo data, rectal luminal Pr(CO2), measured by automated air tonometry, does not reflect gastric luminal Pr(CO2) in children. Enteral luminal gas production within feces in the rectum seems to be a major source of this disagreement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, University Children's Hospital, Steinwiesstrasse 75, CH-8032, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salgo
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dullenkopf
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods*; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D012007:Rectum / Q000378:metabolism*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide