How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

Re: How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

sjcafi — Fri, 25 May 2012 11:43:10 GMT

Occasionally after particularly long surgery with the larger breeds you can get a build up of condensation within the tubing. Wouldn't that be one of the times that you would want to hang dry after use rather than stay connected on the machine?

Thanks again for the replies, the catheter mount and filter sound like a good idea. Does anybody use them in practice and if so have you noticed any negative effects in regards to the additional dead space and/or resistance for the smaller patients.

Sarah

Re: How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

Catherine Goulding — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:08:23 GMT

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/chrisp/resources/factsheet_anaesth.pdf

This is probably more suitable for furry patients though - http://www.veterinary-equipment.net/93/veterinary-anesthesia-patient-circuits-cleaning-guide/

Re: How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

Catherine Goulding — Fri, 25 May 2012 10:02:32 GMT

I don't think you will find any nursing articles on how to tore them as they are designed to be disposble. In my NHS trust all breathing systems are replaced on a weekly basis but inbetween uses they are kept on the anaesthetic machine. There is a new catheter mount and filter (doubles as HME and bacterial filter) for each and every patient so there should be no need to clean them as they don't get wet in the first place - I have yet to see any really messy surgery though, so this may change in future. I'll have a look and see if I can find any 'human' research for you.

catheter mount (from intersurgical)

Re: How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

Julie-Anne Wilson — Fri, 25 May 2012 06:54:32 GMT

To be fair, I have just had to throw away 4 of our 6 tubes for our Humphrey ADE circuits due to holes and we think this is possibly because we remove them every day. But I also think the tubes do need to be soaked after cleaning, especially after dentals.

I'd be interested in reading any official instructions as to the proper cleaning.

Re: How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

sjcafi — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:59:01 GMT

Thankyou for the quick replies.

Does anyone know if there is any nursing document for the correct way to clean and store circuits at the end of day? Have nothing other than my computer to look for information and ideally need nursing or anaesthesia guidelines for my current practice. Have looked in the nurse wiki but I am not sure that would be enough for the practice to change.

Have been working there for nearly two years and have been cleaning, disconnecting and hanging circuits at the end of day when I have been on duty. Yesterday we had a staff meeting and it has been decided that the protocol now is to leave all circuits connected to machine at the end of the day with the Apalert still connected and circuits left hanging towards the floor. This to prevent any possible weakness or breakages from removing them daily. We do a leak and pressure test with every circuit and machine at the beginning of the day and to my knowledge there has not been an increased incidence of damage to circuits since I started.

At previous clinics the procedure was to disconnect from O2, wipe down machine and replenish Iso, wipe down circuits and disconnect bag, hang all to allow drainage. We would do a full clean/soak weekly or if we suspected anything infectious/post dental (always blood on circuits).

Would just like to do things the correct way.

Sarah

Re: How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

Julie-Anne Wilson — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:38:22 GMT

We disconnect them, soak them in Medizyme then hang them up to dry

Re: How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

Sophie Bedford RVN CertVNECC — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:51:27 GMT

We disconnect them and hang them up, this also helps them drain when you are cleaning them after surgery

Re: How do you store your Anaesthetic circuits after use?

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:44:10 GMT

Disconnect and hang over here!

(edit: washing first, of course!)