Soda lime

Re: Soda lime

Sparky — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 23:03:31 GMT

I'm really sorry.....my computer didn't show all the answers so I just repeated what someone else said.....I'm so sorry! x

Re: Soda lime

Sparky — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 22:58:10 GMT

We usually change our soda lime after a certain amount of colour change but I just it up on the humprey ADE website and this is what it said:

''Soda lime exhaustion is indicated by a pH-sensitive dye colour change in the soda lime that responds to the change of pH in the granules as CO2 is absorbed. Some dyes change from white to purple/violet and others from pink to white. This can be confusing as white can indicate new or exhausted soda lime. So put a label on the canister with the colour changes expected and the date the soda lime is renewed.

The ADE canister holds about 500gms of soda lime and will absorb a finite amount of CO2. At the low fresh gas flows recommended a large amount will be absorbed especially from patients over 25kg. Consequently there is no time length the soda lime will last so observation of the colour change is required. The soda lime that first reacts with CO2 will exhaust first so colour changes will be seen early at the top of the expiratory side of the canister (below the blue one-way valve). This will gradually progress down this side and then begin to track up the other side especially around the middle division. Once this happens and half the soda lime has changed colour it is time to change the soda lime. At this point even if there is no colour change the soda lime is most used up as the colour change is a late change. Remember soda lime is cheap and the quicker it is exhausted the more oxygen and vapour has been saved!

It is also recommended that, even if the soda lime is not exhausted, it is changed at least once a month. There are some very poor soda limes on the market that hardly change colour and the exhausted state is not recognized. Exhausted soda lime gets wet and can completely clog the flow through it and cause obstruction - experience with Intersurgical UK “Spherosorb” and Drager soda lime is good''

Hope this helps :)

Re: Soda lime

wilkoannie — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 17:53:52 GMT

Thank you for all your replies. I've always understood it that when the soda lime changes colour that this is the time to change it but as I can see by some of your replies some data somewhere must be showing hours as the new nurse used to change hers after 8 hours. Be interesting to know if there is new data on this. Xxx

Re: Soda lime

FINNIGAN — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 17:27:10 GMT

Questions on the soda lime canister and its use: Q. How do I know when to change the soda lime? A. Soda lime exhaustion is indicated by a pH-sensitive dye colour change in the soda lime that responds to the change of pH in the granules as CO2 is absorbed. Some dyes change from white to purple/violet and others from pink to white. This can be confusing as white can indicate new or exhausted soda lime. So put a label on the canister with the colour changes expected and the date the soda lime is renewed. The ADE canister holds about 500gms of soda lime and will absorb a finite amount of CO2. At the low fresh gas flows recommended a large amount will be absorbed especially from patients over 25kg. Consequently there is no time length the soda lime will last so observation of the colour change is required. The soda lime that first reacts with CO2 will exhaust first so colour changes will be seen early at the top of the expiratory side of the canister (below the blue one-way valve). This will gradually progress down this side and then begin to track up the other side especially around the middle division. Once this happens and half the soda lime has changed colour it is time to change the soda lime. At this point even if there is no colour change the soda lime is most used up as the colour change is a late change. Remember soda lime is cheap and the quicker it is exhausted the more oxygen and vapour has been saved!

Re: Soda lime

FINNIGAN — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 17:20:47 GMT

2hours is our policy, then it's changed, where would we find the rights and wrongs of this anyone know ?

Re: Soda lime

victoria johnson — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 11:33:04 GMT

We have just implemented a new protocol for changing soda lime in our clinic. We time each ga and the soda lime is changed after a total of 8 hours use. This is regardless of if the soda lime has changed colour or not. Hope this helps

Re: Soda lime

lucy ashton — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 20:13:40 GMT

We normally change ours when the colour changes like you said (note some will change back to their original colour if left) or after a month. And that's for a medium SA practice in the city with average 5-7 ops a day