Ideas That Work: How to Measure Ventilation on Sedated Patients

MEASURE RESPIRATION Check out this do-it-yourself technique to measure sedation, depth of breathing and rate of breathing on sedated patients.

How to Measure Ventilation on Sedated Patients

For patients who are getting IV sedation with an oxygen cannula for supplemental O₂, you can measure the respiratory rate and end tidal CO₂ trending using the sampling line that you usually put on a circuit. Here's how:

Using an 18 or 20 g catheter, pierce the nasal cannula at the area of the nasal prongs.

1Cut the tip of the catheter that protrudes.

2Screw the luer lock tips of the sampling line to the catheter.

3The monitor will show a tracing that provides a respiratory rate and end tidal CO₂ that you can trend.

Michael Reines, MD
Reconstructive Surgery Center of Newport Beach (Calif.)
[email protected]