Go back to the basic chemistry of soda lime [mainly calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 and sodium hydroxide NaOH] and carbon dioxide.
CO2 + H2O → H2CO3
H2CO3 + 2NaOH → Na2CO3 + 2H2O + Heat
Na2CO3 + Ca(OH)2 → CaCO3 + 2NaOH
Ca(OH)2 (heat) → CaO + H2O
One of the end products is water.
If an HME is used it will not pass to the patient, if low flow anaesthesia is used there will be little or no gas going out of the exhaust to take it away, hence it is trapped in the circuit.
Replacing the HME with a bacterial filter will allow it to go back to the patient but do you want excessive water in the patient's lungs?
Water is a natural product of using an absorber. Remove it with the water traps, if it is raining out make sure it runs down to the water traps.
Robert
Last edited by RoJo; 21/04/08 1:41 PM.
