Protecting Our Children

Child Safety and Common Medical Procedures

While children undergo common medical procedures dealing with sedation, their safety may be at risk.

It was found that 72% of the episodes of prolonged hypoxia were preceded by decreases in ETco2 (the level of carbon dioxide in the air exhaled from the body) as measured by capnography, according to a recent study published in Pediatric Emergency Care. This implies that using capnography would ultimately decrease the frequency of hypoxia, or the deprivation of adequate oxygen supply. Safety for children under sedation would increase.

A capnograph is a non-invasive device that measures the amount of carbon dioxide a person breathes out.

Dr. Melissa Langhan, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Emergency Medicine, has recognized the importance of monitoring children with capnography. Unfortunately, continuous capnography is not used on a regular basis outside of the operating room. Dr. Langhan believes that the use of this monitoring device would greatly enhance patient safety.

Children undergoing common procedures involving sedation have been studied and analyzed by Dr. Langhan and colleagues.

Click here to watch Dr. Langhan explain the use of capnography and how it can improve patient safety.

For case studies that demonstrate the importance of capnography by Dr. Langhan, click here.