Intermittent measurement of arterial blood gases is and arterial blood gas values following cardiothoracic surgery commonly performed to assess the adequacy of in infants and children. J Intensive Care Med 2001;16:231-235.
oxygenation and ventilation. Although noninvasiveThe authors retrospectively compared the correlation of pH monitors are available to assess oxygenation (pulse and pCO 2 from venous and arterial blood gases following oximetry) and ventilation (end-tidal or transcutanecardiothoracic surgery in neonates, infants, and children.
ous CO 2 techniques), intermittent correlation withThe cohort for the study included 14 infants and children in vivo values is necessary to ensure the accuracy undergoing cardiovascular surgery procedures for correction of congenital heart disease. The patients ranged in age from of noninvasive devices. In addition, measurement neonates to 48 months (6.2 ע 12.3 months) and in weight of pH and acid/base status may be required to from 2.9 to 16.1 kg (5.0 ע 3.2 kg). A total of 95 simultaneous assess the adequacy of tissue perfusion and gauge samples of arterial and venous blood were obtained for blood the response to ongoing therapies. gas analysis. The mean venous pCO 2 value was 45 ע 9 From the Departments of *Child Health and †Anesthesiology, ‡Division of Pediatric Critical Care/Pediatric Anesthesiology, underwent cardiothoracic surgical procedures were University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.reviewed. In these patients, simultaneous values of