Amsorb: A New Carbon Dioxide Absorbent for Use in Anesthetic Breathing Systems

Inhalation Anesthesiology and Volatile Liquid Anesthetics: Focus on Isoflurane, Desflurane, and Sevoflurane

“…54 Decreases in the water content of the absorbent and the presence of strong monovalent bases (sodium and potassium hydroxides) in the carbon dioxide absorbents cause anesthetic breakdown. 54,[56][57][58] In recognition of the need to decrease anesthetic breakdown (to decrease the production of compound A and extreme heat from sevoflurane, and carbon monoxide from desflurane, isoflurane, and enflurane), new carbon dioxide absorbents with modified amounts, or devoid, of strong bases were developed. [56][57][58] Calcium hydroxide lime (Amsorb; Armstrong Ltd., Coleraine, Northern Ireland, supplied by Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) is commercially available and does not contain either monovalent alkali content.…”

“…54,[56][57][58] In recognition of the need to decrease anesthetic breakdown (to decrease the production of compound A and extreme heat from sevoflurane, and carbon monoxide from desflurane, isoflurane, and enflurane), new carbon dioxide absorbents with modified amounts, or devoid, of strong bases were developed. [56][57][58] Calcium hydroxide lime (Amsorb; Armstrong Ltd., Coleraine, Northern Ireland, supplied by Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) is commercially available and does not contain either monovalent alkali content. [56][57][58] Several studies have shown that the use of the new carbon dioxide absorbents devoid of strong bases decreased the anesthetic degradation dramatically.…”

“…[56][57][58] Calcium hydroxide lime (Amsorb; Armstrong Ltd., Coleraine, Northern Ireland, supplied by Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) is commercially available and does not contain either monovalent alkali content. [56][57][58] Several studies have shown that the use of the new carbon dioxide absorbents devoid of strong bases decreased the anesthetic degradation dramatically. 53,54,56,57 However, the carbon dioxide absorptive capacity of absorbents without strong bases is decreased (by up to 50%) compared with that of soda lime and barium hydroxide lime absorbents.…”

Sevoflurane: Approaching the Ideal Inhalational Anesthetic A Pharmacologic, Pharmacoeconomic, and Clinical Review

“…The two currently available alkaline mixtures used to sequester carbon dioxide in an anesthesia breathing circuit are soda lime and Baralyme ® . A third carbon dioxide absorber, Amsorb™, a mixture of calcium hydroxide and calcium chloride, has been shown to be chemically unreactive with sevoflurane, enflurane, isoflurane, and desflurane (211). Therefore, no compound A is synthesized.…”

“…The current FDA recommendation requires that the carbon dioxide absorbent be changed when desiccation is suspected, replacing carbon dioxide absorbents every Monday, and turning off high fresh gas flows at the end of each case. A new carbon dioxide absorber, Amsorb™, a mixture of calcium hydroxide and calcium chloride, has been shown to be chemically unreactive with enflurane, isofluane, and, desflurane (211). Therefore, no carbon monoxide or other degradation products are produced.…”