The optimum flow of blow-by oxygen for paediatric patients in a post- anaesthesic care unit

Abstract

A randomized cross-over study aimed to compare the efficacy of various flows of blow-by oxygen supplement in paediatric patients recovering from anaesthesia. A total of 24 infants and children of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class I, age 10 months to 7 years, were studied. After lower abdominal or peripheral surgery on an ambulatory basis in the post-anaesthesia care unit, three flows of oxygen (3, 4 and 5 l/min) were delivered in randomized sequence, 10 min for each flow. Haemoglobin oxygen saturation (S(p)O2) was recorded before receiving oxygen (control group) and 10 min after changing the flows. The results showed that the S(p)O2of all oxygenated groups (flow 3, 4 and 5 l/min: S(p)O298.7, 99.0 and 99.2%, respectively) was significantly higher than the control (95.7%). The lowest S(p)O2obtained from the oxygenated groups of 3, 4 and 5 l/min was 95, 96 and 97%, respectively. We concluded that an oxygen flow of 3 l/min was the optimum flow to prevent post-operative hypoxaemia in paediatric patients.