Bogdon, William. Utilization of low-flow anesthesia in conjunction with Sevoflurane for anesthesia providers. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-svtg-sh03
DescriptionPurpose of Project: Low-flow anesthesia is an underutilized practice that has been shown to be effective in decreasing waste of the anesthetic gas, Sevoflurane. The misconception is that Sevoflurane must be ran with a fresh gas flow (FGF) rate greater than 2 Liters/min to prevent Compound A formation. However, Compound A has not been shown to have any negative effect in humans. Lower flows lead to significant financial savings for healthcare facilities. The goal was to provide an impactful educational presentation to decrease the fresh gas flow used by providers while utilizing Sevoflurane. Methodology: This quasi-experimental study began with a one-month preintervention observation phase conducted at an ambulatory surgery center. Following this, providers were shown an education PowerPoint presentation about low flow anesthesia and current recommendations. A visual cue was also placed on each anesthesia machine. Data collection occurred again one week and four weeks after education. After six weeks, education reinforcement was provided to the anesthesia providers to encourage a continuation of the decreased FGF. Two weeks later, a final data collection period was performed. Results: Data showed a decrease in fresh gas flow. Investigators were able to determine that they were successful in creating a general practice change among anesthesia providers. Implications for Practice: Low flow anesthesia is a simple practice that has been proven to decrease waste of anesthetics. Facilities across the country have begun to encourage low flow anesthesia amongst there providers. There are also potential physiological advantages for patients including the maintenance of body temperature and airway humidity.