The World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists Minimum Capnometer Specifications 2021—A Guide for Health Care Decision Makers has been published with open access for readers.
WFSA is delighted to announce the publication of The World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists Minimum Capnometer Specifications 2021—A Guide for Health Care Decision Makers and the accompanying editorial Instructions for a Highly Relevant Tool in Line with the United Nations Goals for Sustainable Development in the WFSA official journal, Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Throughout the COVID pandemic thousands of patients have been intubated in order to be mechanically ventilated. Despite this there has been almost no attention paid to the life-saving role of capnometry in excluding esophageal intubation and confirming ongoing placement of the endotracheal tube in the trachea.
Capnometry is a standard of care in operating rooms in high and many middle-income countries, it has additional benefits for sedated patients and in respiratory diagnostics, but is largely absent in more resource constrained regions. It is absent from most Intensive Care Units (ICU).
The World Health Organisation-World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WHO-WFSA) International Standards for a Safe Practice of Anesthesia. (Can J Anaesth. 2018 ;65:698-708.) highlighted the importance of capnometry and industry was challenged to address the issues of price, utility and robustness.
