18-4 DELTA/DELTA XL/KAPPA VF8
18 T
RANSCUTANEOUS BLOOD GAS MONITORING
Patient Preparation
For reliable tpO
2
/CO
2
measurements place the sensor membrane directly over the
capillaries in the patient's skin. For a monitoring site select a flat or outward-curving
(convex) surface with no bony protuberances, one that has good blood circulation,
minimal fat deposits, and a thin outer layer of the epidermis. Avoid hairy parts, skin
areas with a cavity, and visible veins. On neonates, the abdominal and chest regions
and the inner surface of the upper thighs tend to be ideal monitoring sites. To obtain
pre-ductal tpO
2
values, place the sensor on the patient’s upper chest, right arm or
head. Place the sensor on the lower abdomen or legs to obtain post-ductal values.
Applying the Sensor
1. Place an adhesive fixation ring on the patient's skin.
2. Apply the sensor to the fixation ring. Applying more than one fixation ring
allows you to move the sensor around quickly to obtain tpO
2
/CO
2
values from
multiple monitoring sites. Doing so will help you avoid burning or irritating
the patient's sign. If the skin becomes irritated, simply move the sensor to a
different fixation ring and allow the hyperaemia (red spot) to fade before
reusing the earlier monitoring site. If you intend to reuse a monitoring site,
remove excess fluid from the fixation ring after you remove the sensor.
3. Degrease the patient’s skin and remove loose skin flakes.
4. Remove the paper cover from an adhesive fixation ring.
5. Position the ring above the monitoring site so that the sensor
cable points in the desired direction, at right angles to the marks
on the sides of the fixation ring. Attach the fixation ring to the
monitoring site: press down on the threaded part, then rub
around the flexible foil surface.
6. Place 4-5 drops of contact liquid on the skin inside the ring.
7. Place the sensor in the fixation ring, aligning the arrow
on the sensor with one of the marks on the ring. Turn the
sensor clockwise for ¼ of a turn to secure it. The cable
should be at right angles to the two side marks.
8. Secure the sensor cable with a cable clip to prevent pull
on the adhesive ring and the skin and to prevent the
sensor from tilting.
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