Apnoeic Oxygenation

…or how can I stop my sedated patient from desaturating?

This is simple; a 7 minute video that briefly explains the use of apnoeic oxygenation. I use it to help keep saturations up in patients that I’m about to intubate, or in those that are sedated for a procedure. I use it in adults.

It suits a patient group that has good pre-oxygenation and that is not hypoxic to begin with.

The technique is simple:

1 Attach nasal prongs.

2 Pre-oxygenate the patient as you normally would

3 When the sedation is in place, increase the flow in the nasal prongs to>15L/min(remember that awake patients can’t tolerate this from normal nasal prongs.

4 The result will be increased and maintained oxygen saturations (there is a potential for hypercarbia- but we accept this)

The effects is more time before desaturation occurs.

I use this all the time. I love this technique.

More in this at the Advanced Airway Workshop at EMCORE 2013.

Watch the video.