[A survey of operating and recovery room ventilators and monitoring equipment as well as their maintenance].

OBJECTIVE

To survey the monitoring and anaesthetic devices available in a sample of French hospitals and the modalities of their maintenance.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHOD

Survey carried out in 21 private and public hospitals (including eight university hospitals), affilated to the French Association for Research in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (ARAR).

RESULTS

More than 84% of all operating theaters were equipped with at least an ECG, a SpO2, and a non invasive blood pressure monitor. The non equipped anaesthesia sites were mainly delivery rooms, plaster cast rooms and X-ray rooms. The figure of recovery room beds was, generally speaking in accordance with the French recommendations. Maintenance policy was not systematic and not budgeted in 72% of the surveyed centres.

CONCLUSION

The equipment in most anesthetic sites has significantly increased, however maintenance policy remains still heterogenous.