EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Cardiac output

Hi DIY
I regularly test them on anaesthetic machines, what would you like to know?

Hi Dustcap
Thanks for getting in touch.
My understanding is, if the CO test simulator is set to 5LPM - for example, then the CO monitor should display this value too - within tolerances (Just like testing an SPO2 monitor - test kit set to 97%, monitor should display the same). The reality is I shouldn't need to ask this question, but the equipment manufacturer are telling me it doesn't matter what value their CO monitor gives when using a test simulator, just as long as a CO waveform is displayed - which I strongly disagree with. I just want to ask others on here if they agree with me, and confirm I'm correct to keep hounding the manufacturers of this particular CO monitoring to change their testing guidelines.

Hi DIY. My first point would be to identify what the manual of the device you are testing states in relation to CO testing. Does it ask for a flow rate? Then identify what percentage the test gas is and see what it shows on the monitor. I have often used 5% CO with 0% balance as recommended by the monitor manufacturer which has a -/+ 1-2 tolerance. On another device i use a mixed gas test gas with a similar tolerance. What i want to see on both is a waveform but more importantly the percentage. I have not been trained to identify the flow rate and i will ask this question but i suspect its because most capno devices just run a simple pump and its purely dependent on the patients breath rather than a prescribed flow rate such as medical gases for inspiration purpose.
Out of interest is this a capnography device or anaesthetic gas bench? I agree that the manufacturer is wrong to say you just need a wave form as its not what the clinician is looking for, they are looking at percentage of volume of CO to ensure oxygen is being effective and exhalation is also effective. I have had trouble with reps and people on the phone from various manufacturers before, i have then got a copy of the manual to double check and if so then send them the text. Remember that manufacturer staff change but the manual often remains the same. Happy for you to private message me for more details and see if we can work this out.

Am I the only that's confused??

CO - Cardiac Output, CO - Carbon Monoxide, CO2 - Carbon Dioxide(End Tidal)

PiCCO - Pulse index Continuous Cardiac Output.

Just what parameters are we testing ?

As per title of this thread - Cardiac output (apologies for using the term CO - and not including the "full stops" between).


My understanding is, if the Cardiac Output test simulator is set to 5LPM - for example, then the Cardiac monitor should display this value too - within tolerances (Just like testing an SPO2 monitor - test kit set to 97%, monitor should display the same). The reality is I shouldn't need to ask this question, but the equipment manufacturer are telling me it doesn't matter what value their Cardiac output monitor gives when using a test simulator, just as long as a Cardiac output waveform is displayed - which I strongly disagree with. I just want to ask others on here if they agree with me, and confirm I'm correct to keep hounding the manufacturers of this particular Cardiac Output monitoring to change their testing guidelines.

Apologies, i got the wrong end of the stick there. To say its been a long week, year is an understatement.

I'm now assuming that other EBME depts do not check CCO monitoring...?