CAA Equipment & Technology in Anesthesia Flashcards

When setting up an anesthesia ventilator, tidal volume is commonly set at which range for a normal adult patient?

Answer: 6–8 mL/kg ideal body weight

Lung-protective ventilation strategies recommend tidal volumes of 6–8 mL/kg ideal body weight to minimize ventilator-induced lung injury.

High peak airway pressure with normal plateau pressure most likely indicates:

Answer: Increased airway resistance (e.g., bronchospasm, kinked ETT)

A discrepancy where peak pressure is elevated but plateau pressure is normal suggests an airway resistance problem rather than a compliance problem.

The purpose of a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) in the anesthesia breathing circuit is to:

Answer: Passively humidify and warm inspired gases

An HME captures heat and moisture from exhaled gas and returns it to the patient on the next inspiration, preventing airway desiccation.

If a circle system spirometer reads significantly lower exhaled tidal volumes than set, the most likely cause is:

Answer: A large leak in the breathing circuit or endotracheal tube cuff

A gas leak—from a disconnected circuit component, uncuffed tube, or inadequately inflated cuff—results in less gas returning to the spirometer than was delivered.

Which ventilator mode delivers a consistent tidal volume regardless of changes in lung compliance or airway resistance?

Answer: Volume-controlled ventilation (VCV)

Volume-controlled ventilation delivers a preset tidal volume with each breath, while pressure will vary depending on lung compliance and airway resistance.

A CAA notices the anesthesia machine's low-oxygen alarm is silenced but oxygen flow has genuinely stopped. The FIRST action should be:

Answer: Manually ventilate the patient with a self-inflating bag-valve-mask using room air

Patient safety is the first priority; disconnecting from the failed machine and ventilating manually with a bag-valve-mask prevents hypoxia while the supply problem is resolved.