HYPERCAPNIA AS AN ANESTHESIOLOGICAL COMPL ICATION DURING HYPOVENTILATION

Hypercapnia is a state, where the CO2 partial pressure of the blood is elevated above the physiological state, It can be associated with hyp oxaemia during an anaesthesiologically induced hypoventilation, but ca n also occur independently, Clinically, hypercapnia is difficult to di agnose, can, however, be determined through blood gas diagnosis and/or capnometry, Hypercapnia occurs during every hypoventilation, any glob al or regional circulatory disturbance and every CO2 increase (e,g, de adroom-ventilation). It causes a respiratory and/or metabolic acidosis with a negative feedback on the circulatory system and on functions o f the parenchyme organs, Therapeutic measures include stabilisation of breathing (possibly artificial respiration) and of the circulatory sy stem, In case of a serious acidosis, a sodium bicarbonate therapy migh t be necessary.