Clinical evaluation of a continuous intra-arterial blood gas monitor

Abstract

We compared the performance of a continuous intra-arterial blood gas monitor with measurements in a standard blood gas analyzer in 32 patients at pre-bypass, on- bypass, post- bypass, and postoperative days 1 and day 2 of cardiac surgery. The overall bias±precision values were 0.04±0.05 for pH. The bias values were within±0.3 for PaCO₂ except for the on-and post-bypass phases. The bias values were within±3.4 for PaO₂ except for the on- and postbypass phases. Correlations were found between continuous intra-arterial blood gas monitor values and standard blood gas analyzer values for almost all measurements of pH, PaCO₂ and PaO₂ except for the on- bypass phase of PaCO₂. We concluded that care must be taken when evaluating pH, PaCO₂ and PaO₂ during cardiopulmonary bypass with this continuous intra-arterial blood gas analyzer.