IN-VITRO ASSESSMENT OF INFANT PULMONARY-FUNCTION EQUIPMENT

Commercially available automated pulmonary monitors are used increasin gly in neonatal intensive care units. However, detailed information re garding the static and dynamic accuracy of these monitors is rarely av ailable. Collaboration between scientists, clinicians, and manufacture rs is essential to establish improved technical standards and protocol s for testing of equipment and for the development of more reliable ne onatal pulmonary monitors. The aim of this study was to develop a prot ocol for the in vitro assessment of commercial infant pulmonary functi on equipment which could be applied within the laboratory to provide r apid feedback to the manufacturer. A recently released neonatal pulmon ary monitor, the Bicore CP100 (software version 3.3), was selected for the development of this protocol. The deadspace and resistance of the measuring device were determined. The flow and airway pressure measur ing systems were evaluated alone and connected to a tracheal tube for both static accuracy and frequency response. The pressure-volume relat ionship of the esophageal balloon was determined and its static accura cy and frequency response were assessed. The algorithms for on-line ca lculations were checked and their correct application confirmed by exa mination of an ASCII data print out. Finally, the pulmonary monitor wa s tested during intermittent positive pressure ventilation of a neonat al lung model of known compliance and resistance. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.