Continuous arterial gas monitoring: initial experience with the Paratrend 7 in children.

OBJECTIVE

To describe clinical usage of the Paratrend 7 continuous arterial blood gas monitor in children.

DESIGN

Children older than 24 months of age who required significant ventilatory intervention were eligible for sensor placement.

INTERVENTIONS

The sensor was placed via the arterial catheter to measure pH, PCO2, PO2, and temperature. The simultaneous arterial blood gas value was recorded along with the sensor reading.

RESULTS

The sensor functioned for as long as seven days and provided the clinicians with data on the patient's respiratory status. The statistical validity of the device when compared to the arterial blood gas showed that the bias/precision for pH was 0.006/0.024, for PCO2 -0.78/4.68 mmHg, and for PO2 1.9%/17.1% (mmHg).

CONCLUSIONS

This report demonstrates actual clinical use of continuous blood gas monitoring in children. The information obtained is a major asset to the management of critically ill children in the intensive care unit.